I Solemnly Swear
by Cardinal Rose
Summary: Rose Marianne Evans is the Fifth Marauder. She's mischievous, obsessed with David Bowie, and ready to misbehave Marauder style. This is the story of her life from 16 onwards, of Marauder highs and lows and danger wherever they turn. In the background of her mischievous life, war brews, and it's going to change her life and the lives of her family forever. SB/OC, J/L.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

**Hey everyone! Now that I've posted the beginning of my Dr Who AU, I decided to get this one up as well.**

**This is a very common premise, namely adding in an OC as the fifth Marauder. I can't promise this will be all that original, but I've been at this one for years and I love it enough to let it out into the world on it's own.**

**Obviously, I own nothing. I am not JK Rowling. Nor do I own anything but my copies of the books and my copies of the films.**

**This work will have lots of gratuitous Bowoe references (it is the 70s), as well as plenty of the Beatles (I blame James), and the odd allusion to punk or Queen (Sirius).**

**That said, I really hope you enjoy my unoriginal but devoted attempt at examining this period in wizarding history.**

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Eleven year old Rose Evans was many things. Native of Cokeworth, youngest daughter of Richard and Violet Evans, twin sister of Lily, unfortunately related to Petunia the Horse-faced Shrew. And, thanks to Lily's creepy best friend - Slimy Snape - she also knew that she's a witch. Which made the time she gave Petunia a horse tail for the day, literal magic. They had been and gone from Diagon Alley, Lily with a trunk full of books to suit her studious nature, and a snow white cat she named Snowflake, while Rose had spent a lot of time in Gambol and Japes before Lily had dragged her off so she could buy her new barn owl, Hermes, after the Greek God of tricks. Lily seemed to be spending every minute under the sun with Slimy, and Rose was getting anxious to finally be able to go to Hogwarts. At Lily's urging (and because Rose was actually quite clever herself), she had looked through Hogwarts: A History. Slimy was clearly a Slytherin if there ever was one, but it was Gryffindor that called to Rose. Thankfully, it was only a matter of hours before they left for London and the mysterious Platform 9¾.

Not wanting a tearful scene at the train station, Rose said her farewells to her parents outside the station and made her own way inside. It wasn't hard to spot the witches and wizards, their owls and Hogwarts trunks in various shades of repair gave them away. Rose followed a stern-looking woman and her eleven year old son through the barrier to Platform 9¾, and had her breath taken away. Veiled by soft grey smoke was the most spectacular scarlet steam engine she had ever seen. The Hogwarts Express. Taking Hermes' cage in one hand, and dragging her trunk with the other, Rose slowly made her way along the platform towards the train compartments. Her shoulder burned before she even got halfway, so like a mature person, she dropped it, and proceeded to kick it and curse mildly. "Would you like some help?" Rose stopped mid-word and assessed the fellow first year that addressed her. He was messy jet black haired, hazel eyed, and grinning at her while cleaning his round glasses. She nodded slowly, remembering Petunia's poisonous departing hiss that nobody was going to want to be friends with a freak like her. "Excellent" the friendly boy beamed. "Oi, Black! Come help me with this!" Black, a grey eyed boy with immaculate black hair and features that were sure to make him handsome in a few years, pushed off the side of the train. He shot her a cocky smirk and helped his friend haul Rose's trunk into a compartment.

"Thank you both. You didn't have to-"

"Yes we did" Messy hair cut in. "You're the third member of our daring group."

"And how do you know I qualify?" Rose asked, speaking without thinking. "I don't know why you are even talking to me. You don't even know my name."

"You want to be in Gryffindor? Like pranking? Hate the ideals of Slytherin? Have an owl?"

"Yes to all the above" grey eyes drawled, shooting her a smile. "I passed you at the entrance to the station. I'm sorry your sisters such a bitch. If it's any consolation, you just made two friends, and we don't let 'em go." He held out his hand. "I'm Sirius Black, by the way."

"Rose Evans."

"And I'm James Potter" messy hair added cheerfully. "Now, can we take a seat? My dad says these things fill up quicker than seats at the Quidditch World Cup."

"What's quidditch?" Rose asked, feeling rather foolish. She'd just made friends, and now they were going to think she was a moron. Sirius looked at James and grinned.

"Mr Potter, shall we induct dear Miss Rosebud into the joys of quidditch?" James matched his grin, and Rose had the strangest feeling of finally finding home.

"Indeed we shall, Mr Black." And that, was how Rose came to love quidditch and ardently support the best quidditch team there was; Puddlemere United.

As the compartment door slammed shut behind Lily, Rose grinned widely at her partners in crime. _"Snivellus?_ That was _genius._ I've been calling him Slimy since he decided Lily was finally worthy of his attention."

"A very accurate impression" Sirius smirked, grey eyes darting past her to settle on the corridor. "Looks like we're getting company." A shy looking boy with dark hair and pale green eyes that looked darker than they actually were knocked on the glass. Behind him was a boy their age with straw coloured hair and blue eyes , who looked around nervously and seemed to be eating cheese.

"Enter" James called in his best B-Grade horror film voice. They shuffled in and made to sit down. "Halt! Names and houses of choice."

"Um, Remus Lupin, Gryffindor would be ideal, but I'll probably end up in Ravenclaw."

"Ah, a smarty-pants" Sirius announced brightly. "Sit down, Mr Lupin." Remus cut a quick glance at Sirius before taking a seat next to Rose. "And you are?"

"P-Peter P-Pettigrew" the cheese-eating boy stuttered. "I'd love to be a Gryffindor, but everyone says I'm sure to be a Puffer."

"That'll do" Sirius shrugged, waving a hand magnanimously towards the seats. "I'm Sirius Black, unfortunately of that pure-blooded family. The other, less good-looking bloke is James Potter, and the angelic redhead is newly quidditch initiated Rose Evans."

"Tutshill?" Remus queried hopefully. Rose and the black haired boys shared a look.

"Puddlemere!"

"The Chudley Cannons rule!"

"Aren't they rubbish?" Rose asked Sirius. Peter made an offended squeaking noise, and all five of them suddenly burst into laughter.

"We're awful" Remus chuckled, James somehow having ended up on the floor of their compartment.

"A little help here, Sirius?"

"If you're wearing big boy trousers, you can stand up by yourself" Sirius shrugged, winking at Rose. James gave him a universal finger gesture and thanked Remus as he helped him up.

"Let's cross our fingers and hope for Gryffindor" James announced seriously. "I don't think I can give you guys up now that I've finally found you."

"Prank who you can" Sirius smirked, tossing a sickle in the air.

"Keep nothing back."

"We're going to get so many detentions" Remus mourned, eyes twinkling in anticipation.

"The detentions are half the fun, my good man" Sirius informed him cheerfully.

"I'm going to go insane" Remus muttered, shaking his head, but he seemed more resigned to the fact that actually upset about it.

"Eh, insanity is relative" Rose shrugged, laughingly bumping into Remus' side.

"I can already see that you're not going to be any help curbing their impulses, Rosie. I really am not surprised."

"Of course she's on our side you pillock" Sirius rolled his eyes. "We're like the Three Musketeers; all for one and all that stuff."

"Only less French" James added, nodding as if that sealed the deal. "I'm buying the lunch trolley, by the way."

"Your funeral" Peter muttered dubiously.

"Death by chocolate" Remus gave the thought the consideration it was due. "I'm fairly sure that's my way out."

"I suppose it beats death by bludger" James mused, tilting his head in consideration. "And it's far better than being offed by exposure to Snivellus."

"What a horrible way to kick the bucket" Sirius shuddered, a disgusted expression twisting his features. "I'm gonna go out bravely fighting or something equally brave and courageous."

"Of course you are" James agreed, grinning at the sound of a squeaky wheel in the corridor. "Excellent, grub's up."

Later, while they were surrounded by discarded sweet wrappers, boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frog cards, and Peter's hoard of Fudge Flies, James started a game of Exploding Snap. "So, Rosie, tell us about your family?" Sirius glanced up, interested, and even Remus set aside his chocolate hoarding to hear her.

"It's pretty much the same as yours, but more muggle" Rose shrugged. "Mum and Dad have been married for about fourteen years. Mum's a florist, hence our flower names. Dad is a lawyer, a QC who is working his way up to sitting on the bench, being a judge. Then there's my oldest sister, Petunia. She hates everything magic, including Lily and I and wants to live a normal life, whatever that means. Lily takes her education very seriously, and doesn't like immaturity. Dad jokes that she was born an adult. But when she loosens up, she's a wonderful person and I love her dearly. And she has a cat named Snowflake." Rose smiled sadly. "We were very close when we were younger, but we were never normal and we reacted differently to it, and so we grew apart. We live in a little town called Cokeworth, in a two storey house with a beautiful garden, two grandparents died last year and since then it's just been us, and with Lil being with Snape it's a little lonely."

"Which is why Petunia said you were a freak that would never have any friends?" Sirius scowled as dark as his name. "If I could hex her into a pimple, I would Rosebud."

"And we'd curse your family into rodents if we could, mate" James added, looking grim at the thought of what they'd probably put Sirius through when he became a Gryffindor.

"No more grim thoughts, we're on the train to Hogwarts" Remus cheered, everyone pelting him with stray Bertie Botts Beans.

The five new friends doubled over in laughter, to a one sopping wet and dripping water onto the stone outcropping. Lily looked on in disapproval, her usual reaction to what she called Rose's immaturity. Rose wrung out her hair, while Sirius and James bickered over whose fault it was that they capsized in the first place. "To be fair" Remus put in calmly, scrunching water out of his cloak. "Hagrid did say no more than four to a boat. We had five, and we were trying to hit the boat with Sniv- Snape in it."

"Remus, Remus, Remus" Sirius threw an arm over his shoulders. "Don't be such a killjoy. Besides, we nearly made it all the way across the lake before James fell in."

"And you didn't?"

"Details, Mr Potter" Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "What matters is that you fell in first. And that I gallantly dived in after you."

"You lost your balance because you were laughing too hard, Siri" Rose pointed out, smiling as they stopped outside a massive pair of carved oak doors.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Castle" James murmured, Sirius standing beside him looking up at the castle in awe.

"I think you mean, welcome home." James looked at them and nodded, solemnity briefly replacing the mischievous air he projected.

"Yes, I think I do" he agreed softly. "Welcome home."

Hagrid gave them all a moment to soak in their first proper glimpse of the castle, then knocked three times on the doors. Almost immediately, a stern-looking witch in emerald robes opened the doors, her eyes flickering over all the first years and resting briefly on the sodden friends. With a wave of her wand, and what was sure to be the first of many exasperated sighs, they were warm and dry, James doffing an imaginary cap to her. Peter made a whimpering noise, while Remus looked torn between awe of the entrance hall and wanting to slam both Sirius and James's heads off the castle walls. Rose herself was busy gaping at the magnificent marble staircase and the sheer size of the entrance hall. Lily caught her eye and dropped her jaw slightly, shock in her eyes. They followed the stern witch across the flagged stone floor, voices coming from a doorway to the right, a door James muttered that led to the Great Hall. The witch ushered them into a small antechamber off the entrance hall. "I am Professor McGonagall" the stern witch announced clearly in a Scottish accent. The words had a well-worn ring of repetition to them, but it didn't make any difference to the crowd of wide-eyed first years. "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend time in your house common room." Sirius rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, miming falling asleep. James snorted but managed to cover the sound in a sneeze. Remus, ever helpful, handed him a tissue and avoided seeing McGonagalls glare. She cleared her throat and continued. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history-" Sirius snorted dubiously. "-and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards." Remus stamped on Sirius' foot to stop him saying anything. "While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points." Sirius and James adopted mournful expressions of guilty innocence. Rose didn't believe them for a minute, but then again she wasn't exactly sorry for the thought either. "At the end of the year, the house with the highest points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." Rose could've sworn that McGonagall looked at them when she said that. The cheek. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered on James's messy hair, Sirius' undone tie (that Rose knew he had no intentions of doing up), and a blonde boy with blue eyes who had his own tie on but somehow under his ear. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

"Like that's going to happen" James muttered, after the door was closed behind her. The blonde boy laughed despite himself, walking over to them with the son of the stern woman Rose had followed into the barrier.

"I'm Benjy Fenwick" blonde said cheerfully. "I saw your capsision, masterful."

"We try" James smiled modestly. "I'm James Potter, that's Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Rose Evans."

"You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort, Black." Sirius stiffened beside Rose, glaring at the superior group of boys nearby.

"I'll make friends with who I like, Mulciber" Sirius spat the name like a curse. "And if you don't like it, you can shove your wand up your _arse_ and-"

"That's quite enough" Benjy's friend interrupted. "I'm Frank Longbottom. And who are you lovely ladies?" He addressed his comment to Lily and the group of girls around her.

"Lily Evans" Lily said, nodding slightly towards Rose. "Her twin sister."

"Alice Fortescue." Alice was a pretty girl with a round face, blue eyes and light brown hair that could either turn blonde or dark brown with age.

"Mary McDonald." Mary had dark eyes, dark hair and a sweet air about her. Next to her was another girl with similar attributes, but with a more angular face and darker eyes.

"Dorcas Meadowes" she beamed brightly.

"Emmeline Vance." A dark brown haired, hazel eyed girl waved from beside Lily.

"Hestia Jones." Black haired and pink cheeked, Hestia seemed happy and full of life.

"Marlene McKinnon." Marlene was stunning even at eleven, with midnight blue eyes and blonde hair, and seemed to have as much self-confidence as Sirius did. McGonagall cleared her throat from behind them.

"They're ready for you now."

The Great Hall was no exaggeration in naming. The vaulted ceiling was high above their heads, enchanted to display a perfect replica of the sky outside. A high table stood at the far end of the hall, professors seated all the way across it, a merrily smiling white haired man (presumably Professor Dumbledore) seated in the middle. Four other tables stood in the hall, each resting under a banner emblazoned with a house crest; the Gryffindor lion at the far left, the Hufflepuff badger to its right, then the Ravenclaw eagle, and the Slytherin snake. Each table was burdened with golden plates, platters, cutlery and goblets, students in black robes (plain but for the house crest) seated at all four. Thousands upon thousands of floating candles lit the hall, and every here and there ghosts shone like foggy mists. Silence fell in the hall as McGonagall placed a stool in front of the middle aisle, a grubby hat placed atop it. Rose privately grinned at the thought of Petunia's face if she ever saw it. Literally everyone in the hall (even a curiously smiling James) was staring at the hat, so Rose turned her gaze back to it.A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat actually began to sing. Sirius' shoulders were shaking from the get-go, chuckles escaping every now and then when he couldn't contain then any longer. James snickered next, then Peter, and Rose and even the respectful Remus. It was like they were caught in the Giggle Loop; the worst possible time to laugh, and they wanted to. Thank Merlin, it was over quickly (some nonsense about the different houses and the like, unimportant drivel, as Sirius muttered in her ear). The hall burst into applause as the song finished, McGonagall again stepping forward with a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name,you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" McGonagall announced crisply, James muttering a threat to his Uncle Charlus under his breath. "Abbot, Andrew."

"As usual" James whispered, holding court with the group of them. "The first up is always a Puffer." Lily glowered at him, but looked too nervous to carry on with it. Snape did glare at him, but James just smirked and waved, until Remus trod on his foot as well.

"Black, Sirius."

"Good luck, mate" James wished, the four watching their friend strut up to the stool, lounge upon it and take his sweet time in lowering the Hat onto his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Thirty seven seconds, not bad" Remus grinned, clapping so hard that his hands must be hurting. They waited for awhile, watching as the students were sorted, Sirius grinning over at them from the top of the Gryffindor table. The spaces around him were left empty, which probably had something to do with Sirius glaring at whoever came near him and the fact that nobody had been sorted into Gryffindor besides him.

"Evans, Lily." Lily looked as though she was about to throw up, but she perched elegantly on the stool and had the Hat lowered onto her red hair. Ninety seconds later, the Hat screamed out its verdict.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Snape slumped in defeat while Lily bounced over to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat a little further down from Sirius. And then it was Rose's turn.

"Evans, Rose."

"See you in Gryffindor, Rosie" James murmured, his hand briefly resting on her arm.

"Kick Sirius when you get there, Rosie" Remus added while Peter just smiled encouragingly. Rose took a deep breath and walked up to the stool, feeling the eyes of the whole school on her back. With the friends she had, Rose had the feeling this would be happening a lot, so she straightened her shoulders and sat on the stool like it was her throne.

_"Ah"_ a little voice murmured in her ear, barely loud enough for her to hear. "_Another Evans with a similar destiny. But the path, what path will you choose? Powerful friendships will dominate your life, enrich it and yet cause it more trouble than anyone else could predict. I could put you in Ravenclaw, it would save you a lot of trouble you know. Nobody's future is set."_ Rose didn't even have to speak to get her thoughts across. She knew where she belonged, and she knew somehow that if there was trouble to come they would face it together. "_Unpredictability, managed_. GRYFFINDOR!" Rose smiled so wide her face started to hurt. She heard James, Remus and Peter cheering madly, but it was Sirius' grey eyes glittering with pride and joy that stayed with her, even surpassing Lily's happiness.

"Rosebud!" Sirius swung her around in a tight hug, laughing joyfully.

"Hi Siri" Rose bubbled, feeling like she was floating. "Imagine I kicked you from Remus." He flicked Remus the middle finger and pulled her down next to him. "Old Fenwick's next."

"Fenwick, Benjy." Rose watched from the Gryffindor table while the blonde took a seat on the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius cat called and cheered while poor Benjy sat down diagonally across from Lily.

"Does he think he's safe from us?" Sirius wondered, looking quite put out.

"If he does, we'll prove him wrong soon enough" Rose shrugged, Alice soon bouncing over to join them with a bright smile. Next to join them was Hestia, then Frank and then Remus was called. After a tense few minutes during which - Remus later confided - the Hat tried to persuade him into Ravenclaw, the Hat screamed out GRYFFINDOR and Remus sat opposite Rose. The three M girls (Marlene, Mary and Dorcas) quickly joined Lily, while Peter and James took their rightful places at the top of the Gryffindor table. As soon as Emmeline dropped into her seat next to Dorcas, Rose finally felt like this was right; this was how things were supposed to be.

"Bring on the future" James grinned widely. "We're going to meet it together."

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**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**Also posted at AO3 under my username Bluebellstar**


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note:**

**Another chapter already? Yeah. I felt I kinda misled you with the summary so I thought i would move on with the actual story.**

**Okay, so chapter 2. Warnings for Sirius' disownment and a little bit of h/c for that.**

**I still don't own anything.**

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Six Years Later...

Unseasonable rain poured from the sky, bouncing off the ramparts of a white stone manor in the English countryside. Flashes of lightning arced across the starless black sky, illuminating a hunched figure shuffling up to the manor. A single trunk and cage were his only luggage, and the wind buffeted his slumped shoulders from all angles. In a private sitting room inside the Manor, flames burned merrily, casting shadows on the royal blue and gold walls and scarlet furniture. James Potter dropped his head onto the armrest, a long groan escaping his lips. His hazel eyes slitted open, fixing his companion with an accusatory glare. "So Lily officially still hates my toerag guts." Rose smiled encouragingly and tossed a cushion at his head.

"You asked, Prongs."

"And you've never heard of lying?" James waved a hand around, annoyance punctuating his movements. "You're a Marauder, Rosie. Surely you're familiar with the notion. We lie all the time." He adopted what Rose assumed was supposed to be an imitation of her voice. "_No, professor we didn't jinx the Slytherin toilets. I have no idea who hid behind the fake wall in the Charms corridor yelling out rude Christmas Carol lyrics. It must've been Peeves. No, Professor I'm sure it couldn't possibly have been Sirius. Yes, Professor, he and James were with Remus, Pete and I in the library_." James raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes, as if he felt that his point was made. Rose sighed and shook her head. Lily had barely forgiven Rose for the disastrous aftermath of the Defense Against The Dark Arts OWL. The first week of the summer had been awkward, but after Marlene, Hestia and Dorcas turned up it got better. Rose was almost sorry to leave in the third week to come and visit James and the Potter's. But visiting James was brilliant, his parents doted on having the Marauders around, and Remus was coming in a week so everything was looking up. The only problem was the complete communications blackout from Sirius; they hadn't heard from him since he got off the train at Kings Cross. It wasn't really like Sirius to be incommunicado.

"Are you worried about Sirius?"

"Yeah" James agreed, tone immediately guarded. Rose knew that Sirius told James (his best friend) things he either couldn't or wouldn't tell the others. What he had told them was bad enough; the lot of them were Blood Puritans who hated everything Sirius believed in and stood for - and he hated every part of being stuck with them. The best part of a month with no word from him was more than a bit not good. "Well, we've got Moony coming soon, so hopefully he'll have heard something. Pads hates writing letters, he probably just forgot. Or Archie flew into a window again."

"You didn't believe Siri when he said it, don't feed it to me now" Rose glared, spilling her tea all over herself as the echoing thunder of a knock reverberated around the Marauder sitting room. James leapt up, fire flickering in his eyes. He had personally set the charm to alert them to any future visitors.

"Who in the blazes?"

"Maybe it's Snivelly coming to declare his undying love for you?"

"Don't even tease about such things" James shuddered dramatically. "You coming to get the door?"

"After you, Mr Prongs" Rose invited, getting to her feet and pulling her dressing gown closer around her. James mocked a bow, acting much like Sirius would've, and leading the way out. As usual, they playfully bantered as they walked down the hall, cheerfully planning for the upcoming school year (their sixth) and the 'epic' start-of-term prank Sirius was eager to start planning and implementing. James waved off his family House Elf Pip, and opened the door himself. Shock froze his features, and Rose didn't think she'd ever forget what was on the other side of the door.

Sirius was illuminated by the entranceway torches, his hair plastered to his head, nasty bruises to rival Moony-inflicted ones on his unusually pale but still handsome face. He was still dressed in his Heir to House Black clothing, that too sodden from the downpour outside. He didn't look as if he could concentrate on much, his eyes still focused on James and only James. "I couldn't take it anymore, mate, I had to leave. They'll have disowned me by now. It was all I could do to grab even this much."

"Well, you're bloody well staying here from now on" James announced, Rose having the unwelcome feeling that they had discussed this before. Sirius let out a relieved sound that was uncomfortably close to a sob, James catching her eye and silently begging her to go and let him deal with it. She hated the very thought, but knew Sirius well enough to know his remarkable overprotective streak where Rose was concerned. She slipped away, hearing the two words they'd been fearing since they realised the true extent of the darkness coming over the wizarding world; Death Eaters.

Rose stared into the fire in the Marauder sitting room, the thought of Sirius almost being forced to join the Death Eaters weighing heavily upon her. It was no wonder James and Sirius had kept it from them; Voldemort was gaining power, and soon enough the whole wizarding world would be in a state of hysteria over him and his followers. Rose hated the thought of Sirius being at the heart of that mania, even if it had given them an insight into what they would all be facing soon enough. "Mrs P fixed me up" Sirius announced, sounding more than a little awkward. "James wanted to tell you all, but I put my foot down. Don't be angry with him."

"I'm not angry with anyone, Sirius" Rose sighed, still resolutely looking into the flames. "I understand why, you know. We'd have worried even more than before, sending you back to that place. Someone tried to initiate you?"

"They tried" Sirius agreed, something dark hiding in his voice. "It was worth it, though, finally escaping them. James's parents have let me stay, so there's some good come out of it." Rose nodded, still unable to look at him and see anything other than the Sirius that she knew and cared so deeply about.

"They could've killed you."

"But they didn't" Sirius returned evenly, clearly he'd already been through this with James. "I've got excellent reflexes. Probably from all that time spent running from Minnie and the thinning lips of doom." Rose couldn't help it, she laughed at that, finally turning to see him. He hadn't lied, he looked just like normal, if normal for him included wearing faded pyjama pants and a slightly torn t-shirt for punk wrock band B'Witched. Tired though they were, his grey eyes sparkled at her. "What does a Marauder have to do to get a hug around here?" Rose laughed again and pushed herself to her feet, feeling Sirius' arms wrap tightly around her. "It'll be better in the morning, Rosebud. We've come out from behind the clouds, the next move is all ours."

"No more secrets, Siri" Rose said quietly. "We're the Marauders, we can take whatever they're going to throw at us, just as long-"

"As we do it together" James finished, standing in the doorway. "I couldn't have put it better myself, Rosie." Sirius rolled his eyes, but looked relieved. Rose knew he was still worried about his brother, no matter what Regulus said or did, he was still Sirius' brother, and Sirius still cared deeply for him.

"Do you really think I'm going to get away with any more secrets from you lot? Moony only lasted two years before we cottoned on." James gave him a look, and Sirius shrugged. "Okay, so maybe it was about eleven months, but we were only sure in our second year."

"Padfoot is right, Prongs" Rose grinned, needing to lighten the atmosphere. There would be plenty of time to talk to over after Remus arrived. "Remus was very good at covering his furry tracks." James chuckled despite himself, by the look of it, his head shaking fondly at them both.

"We should get to bed, Moony's coming tomorrow instead of next week."

Loud bangs echoed from the Marauder Wing of the Potter Manor, cursing and yelling following. "Stay still, damn you! _Incendio!"_ Another bang, followed with the crackling of fire. "Bugger! _Augamenti!"_

"Well _done,_ Padfoot" Remus drawled, green eyes rolling. "You set fire to another priceless piece of furniture." He waved his wand lazily. _"Reparo."_ Sirius flipped him the V's as he overturned another chair in his search for his missing Chocolate Frog.

"Where did the bloody thing get to?"

"James just ate it" Rose smiled, struggling to remain serious in the face of Sirius' almost comical disbelief. "Didn't you notice how he just left the room?" Sirius took a moment, breathing in deeply and centering himself. Then, he ran to the door, ripped it open, and pelted out, yelling as he went.

"Get back here, you knave! Stand and fight like a man!" Remus scrubbed a hand over his face, hiding the grin Rose knew was showing.

"Sometimes I don't even know why we bother. Sirius just got chucked out by his own parents, and those two are running around, hexing each other, trying to set fire to magical confectionary, and generally misbehaving."

"We're the Marauders, Rem. We solemnly swear we're up to no good. And we generally are."

"But as you so often remind us, Rosie, just because we're the Marauders, doesn't mean we don't have feelings like normal people." Remus peered at her over his copy of 1,000 Magical Herbs and Fungi (although why he was reading it, Rose had no idea). "He's going to have to talk about it at some point the future."

"Just let him have some time, Rem" Rose sighed, looking away from him. "It's an adjustment for all of us. He's safe now, there's no rush for him to tell us what happened. He told James , that's enough for now." Remus looked at her long and hard.

"Yeah, I suppose it is."

Sirius and James trooped back in half an hour later, trailing mud and with several new rips in their clothing. "If Evans was here, she'd be yelling about our immaturity."

"Technically, I'm an Evans" Rose felt the need to point out, emulating Remus with her head in a worn copy of Pride and Prejudice.

"Yeah, but you're on our side, Rosebud" Sirius smirked, grey eyes sparkling. "Immaturity is our middle name."

"Actually, mine's John" Remus offered, sounding terribly apologetic. "And Rosie's is Marianne, right Rosie?"

"Technically" Rose agreed, biting her cheek to stop from laughing at Sirius' disgruntled expression. "And Prongs' is Harold, isn't it?"

"Don't call me _Harold"_ James glared, shuddering for effect. Sirius snickered and kept repeating the name, even Remus gleefully adding in a Harold or two of his own. "I'm being serious!"

"And you're doing an awful job of it mate" Sirius smirked, mischief in the air. "I'm Sirius." As quickly as his laughter came, a dark expression came into his eyes. He pushed off his chair and walked out, Remus shooting Rose a significant pointed look. James ruffled his hair and sighed. After nearly six years together, give or take, they could read each other like they were reading themselves. Their combined worry for Sirius was tangible in the sitting room.

"He's dealing with it, but right now, the last person in the world he wants to be is Sirius Black." James glanced out the window, determination glittering behind his glasses. "We'll give him until the evening. After Mum and Dad go out to their Ministry do, he's telling us the whole story. No more secrets."

"No more secrets" Remus echoed solemnly. Rose stared out across the cultivated Potter gardens, wishing she knew what to do to make this better, knowing despite it all that only time could heal this particular wound.

Sirius avoided the coming conversation for three whole days. The first night he spent climbing deep in a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey, the second and third they were with Moony and his Furry Little Problem. On the fourth night, however, it seemed as if even Sirius knew he could avoid it no longer. As usual, the Marauders (including Peter who was just back from Paris with his overprotective mother) gathered up on the roof, bottles of Butterbeer and bags of sweets littered between them. It was a cool night, but they didn't notice. What they were about to hear was going to change their lives forever. "We had just had dinner, it was a big family affair" Sirius announced, voice quiet but somehow carrying better than if he had been yelling it. "My parents were talking up their pure blood mania, and Bellatrix and Regulus were egging them on. Orion turned to me and asked when I was finally going to grow up and start doing what was right. And I told him to his face that he and I had very different definitions of what was right. As you can imagine, that didn't go down well at all. Orion started ranting about how it was about time I went to Durmstrang, where I wouldn't be forced to associate with blood traitors and mudbloods." He laughed bitterly. "Dear Reggie and Bella have been keeping them up to date with my unacceptable behaviour while at Hogwarts. Mo- Walburga said that they believed they had been patient and understanding for long enough, that it was time I took my place amongst the family." Sirius kept his voice a scornful monotone, but it didn't hide the anger and pain they could all hear in it. "I think I stood up about then. I don't remember much after that. I remember telling them that the blood traitors and mudbloods they accused me of consorting with were more my family than they had ever been. I told them I had had enough of hiding who I was. I was never going to be the person they wanted me to be, and I think they realised it. I told them that they could take their pure blood ideals and shove them right up their arses - in less polite words - and I grabbed what I could and I got the hell out of there. I knew that I would never be welcome there again. And all the while I kept thinking how I wanted to be right here with my real family." Rose blinked back the tears from her eyes, it wouldn't help Sirius to see her sad about it. He took his gaze off the night sky, and there was a seriousness that they'd rarely seen - except for when they told Remus they couldn't care less about him being a werewolf; they couldn't be afraid of a bloke who folded his socks. "There's going to be a war, and it's coming closer than we think."

"We know that, Pads" James said solemnly. "We'd put that together with what you told us in the past." Sirius shot him a look that said he knew that, but this was more.

"Bella doesn't speak his name, but it's Voldemort. He's amassing an army and keeping low until he's got enough followers to fight the war. But it is coming. They wanted me to join him and I couldn't. Because if there is a war coming like we think, I'm going to be firmly on the other side from that maniac."

"And we're going to be right there with you" James stated, Remus, Rose and Peter just nodding like there had never been any other option.

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**So, thoughts? First reviewer gets sneak preview of next chapter - if you want it**


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:**

**I'm back again! Ready with chapter 3!**

**Laura221 - thank you very much for your review. This chapter is dedicated to you.**

**Thank you all for continuing to read.**

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August came upon them quicker than ever before. Their Hogwarts letters came bright and early on the fifteenth, just as they were getting ready to go to the quidditch. Puddlemere United were playing the Tutshill Tornados, and none of them were prepared to miss it. They'd been looking forward to it for months, ever since James had bought the tickets in advance as a Marauders Christmas in the letters were their Ordinary Wizarding Level results; they had all passed their OWLs with flying colours, and could take whatever classes they wanted to meet their long-term career goals - in other words being aurors. Remus was taking Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Alchemy, Ancient Studies, Transfiguration and Potions. Peter was taking Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Arithmancy (with Remus' help and to appease his mother), Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology. James had signed up for Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Charms, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration and Muggle Studies. Sirius was taking exactly the same classes as James, and Rose was signed on for Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Herbology, History of Magic, Magical Theory, Potions and Transfiguration.

At the allotted time, James stood impatiently in the Potter Manor entranceway, foot tapping in irritation. "I am not in the mood to wait for you lot!"

"Honestly, Prongsie" Sirius called, his voice sing-song and teasing. "We've been ready for hours." He demonstrated his point by striding into the entranceway from the grounds. Rose laughed at his dramatic flair (saying something considering he was wearing worn jeans, a Puddlemere t-shirt and a stonewashed denim jacket), Remus rolling his eyes rather pointedly at her. Sirius half-turned back to them and winked, James groaning loud enough to be heard back in the Forbidden Forest. He muttered something to Sirius that Rose couldn't hear, both of them striding forward to the portkey, Sirius shoving Peter out of the way.

Rousing calls of 'GO PUDDLEMERE' and 'YOU SUCK TUTSHILL' rang from the Marauders' stand, Remus glaring every now and then during the more offensive and creative slights against his team. Remus was, naturally, bold enough to wear Tutshill colours deep in Puddlemere territory, which wasn't doing him any favours with the fans. Sirius had given up pretending that he didn't know the embarrassments that he'd brought with him (Peter being decked out in bright Chudley orange), and was cheering along with the rowdy Puddlemere crowd. James, being the captain and lead chaser for the Gryffindor quidditch team, was making notes in a small brown notebook, eyes eagerly scanning the skies for inventive new plays - and sneaky new fouls to implement against the cheating Slytherin team. A particularly nasty foul went overlooked by the referee (a weedy looking bloke with strawberry blonde hair and thick glasses), the Puddlemere fans - Rose included - rightly outraged. "OI, REF!" Sirius yelled, standing on his seat. "OPEN YOUR OTHER EYE, YOU MANKY GIT! THAT WAS A FOUL! A FOUL! THAT MEANS YOU PENALISE THE CHEATING BASTARDS! COMPRENDE? NEXT TIME, ME AND MY MATES WILL REACQUAITE YOU WITH THE RULES! WE'LL SHOVE YOUR BROOM SO FAR UP YOUR ARSE, YOU'LL BE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WITH IT!" His magically enhanced voice boomed around the stadium, to rousing applause from the Puddlemere fans. James gave him a minute and then tugged him back into his seat, sending an apologetic wave at the ref. Rose watched while poor Remus slid down into his seat with mortification.

"Godric and Merlin" Remus muttered hysterically, face bright red. He had a very high sense of what was allowed to people in authority, Sirius naturally bulldozing right over the line. "We're going to be in the papers."

"I don't think that Padfoot really cares" Peter pointed out, Sirius grinning and pointing to him in agreement.

"I hope we are" Sirius confirmed. "That'll show the Black's that fun is what we Marauders exist on. Not fear." Remus just shook his head, looking like he'd cheerfully strangle every single Black while maintaining his running commentary on how Sirius should know better than to insult a referee when they still had another whole year at Hogwarts to sit through. They should respect the people in authority, et cetera, et cetera. Then Sirius would just grin, tap his nose knowingly and say the one word that invalidated all his arguments - Marauder. Rose laughed at the thought, accidentally coinciding it with Sirius flipping off the referee as he flew by. Remus sighed disappointedly.

"You're encouraging him again, Rosie." Rose must've been imaging things, she could've sworn there was a double meaning to that. He pinched her ominoculars and everything went back to normal.

The Marauders joined the throng of quidditch supporters leaving the Puddlemere United stadium. Sirius and James were debating a rather inventive foul (involving a beaters bat and the golden snitch - and so neatly falling into both of their quidditch positions), while Remus bemoaned the unfairness of Tutshill catching the snitch just as Puddlemere scored another ten points and so won the game. Peter shrugged at Rose, his eyes twinkling with the Marauder mischief most people forgot he had. "Cheer up, Moony, at least your seeker actually caught the snitch. The Cannons haven't done that in eleven years."

"I'm not sure even Nicholas Flamel can remember your team ever winning, Wormy" Sirius smirked, not unkindly. Peter just flipped him the bird and strolled ahead to the portkey point, humming a few bars of the Puddlemere United anthem; Beat Back Those Bludgers Boys, And Chuck That Quaffel Here. "Impudent little git" Sirius said approvingly. "We're making a Marauder out of him at long last, Prongsie."

"I'm so proud" James cooed, wrapping a protesting Peter in a Giant Squid like hug.

"I hate you both" Peter muttered, his eyes giving him away.

"Oh, his first temper tantrum" Remus teased, joining in with undisguised glee. "Our boy's growing up so fast."

"Stop picking on him" Rose chided, narrowing her eyes in a manner that she had it on very good authority resembled Lily's 'You're an egotistical toerag, Potter' glare. James held his hands up in surrender, Sirius shoved his hands into his pockets, and Remus grinned at her.

"Thank you, Rosie" Peter smiled, Sirius making a face at his back. "I saw that."

"Very perceptive, for a rat."

"We're intelligent, underestimated, underappreciated creatures" Peter sniffed haughtily. "And we don't get fleas."

"Two words for you" Sirius announced smugly. "Plague carriers."

"Really?" Horrified, Peter looked at Remus for confirmation.

"Unfortunately so" the werewolf agreed solemnly, sad to burst Peter's bubble like that. James coughed uncomfortably.

"Moving away from Snivellus, shall we do our Hogwarts shopping tomorrow?" Rose didn't want to think about how Snivelly was related to plague carrying rats, and just agreed to move the conversation on. Sirius caught her eye and winked again, lengthening his stride enough to catch up with James.

Diagon Alley was aggressively bustling, the witches and wizards milling about as if nothing was going on at all. The shops were full, and everyone was watchful but still welcoming and friendly just like Diagon Alley had a reputation for being. Rose breathed through the typical post-Floo nausea, focusing on the solid feeling of the Leaky Cauldron flagstones beneath her feet, the sound of Sirius and James chatting with Tom, the middle aged barman. Remus waited patiently beside her, immune to the nausea thanks to his lycanthropy. Peter looked slightly green, the new floo powder James's mother was experimenting with not exactly stable. "I'll tell Mum that it needs a bit more work" James winced apologetically. "But, shall we?" He waved his arm towards the backdoor. Rose nodded, the first breaths of fresh air dispelling the last of the queasiness. "First stop , Gringotts Wizarding Bank."

"Goodie" Remus muttered sarcastically. "A trip to the bank, where we can throw up what bits of our breakfasts we managed to keep down."

"Now, now, Moony; anyone would think you aren't looking forward to it" James quipped, tapping the right brick to open up the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. Sirius made a derisive noise at the sight of the aggressively normal people going about the street, hiding his thoughts on it from all of them. James put his hand gently on Sirius' arm, murmuring something quiet enough for only the grey-eyed Marauder to hear.

"I know" Sirius sighed, absently rubbing his thumb over his forehead - a rare tell of anxiety. "They don't want to believe it, so they don't see it, but how can they be so willfully blind?"

"Ignorance is bliss" Rose suggested, Sirius scoffing but looking more himself.

"Let's go wrestle some gold from goblins, then we can tackle the apothecary -"

"And don't forget Flourish and Blotts" Remus added eagerly, looking forward to spending all his money in the bookshop.

"After which we can pop into Gambol and Japes and stock up for the Start-of-Term prank" Sirius continued as if Remus hadn't been boringly studious.

"A Marauder never plans, Sirius Black" James announced with feigned snootiness. "He-"

"Do shut up, Prongs" Remus bade, leading the way up the alley to the imposing white building that housed the only wizarding bank.

The Marauders left Gambol and Japes' with purses significantly lighter than when they entered. They'd paid extra to have their many purchases sent directly to the Potter Manor, so they didn't have anything to show for their money. It also had the added effect of unsettling any passing Hogwarts students who rightly feared for their safety when seeing the Marauders exiting the shop. "Don't you ever feel mean, scaring our fellow students?" Remus asked with his usual long-suffering air.

"We provide entertainment for the masses and keep people on their toes" James reminded him, winking at a second year Hufflepuff across the road. "That more than anything will be useful in the years to come."

"Nope" Sirius held up his hands. "We're going to enjoy our peace while we have it. Preparation can wait until we hit Hogwarts. Then, we won't have any excuses."

"Well said" Rose approved, torn between Flourish and Blotts and Quality Quidditch Supplies. "Where next?"

"Book shop" Remus stated, tone for once brooking no opposition. "They've a new book on Werewolves I want to get."

"Why would you want to get a book on werewolves?" Peter wondered, trailing after Remus and giving the others no choice but to follow.

"Forewarned is forearmed" Rose said mysteriously, James and Sirius both giving her funny looks. "My Mum always says it like it explains everything." James tilted his head in consideration.

"Maybe it does."

"You're a strange little bunny, aren't you, Prongs?" He sniffed haughtily and strode over to the Defense textbooks, ignoring Sirius and Rose completely. "I've been spending too much time around Moony" Sirius mourned, his eyes flickering over her shoulder just as his wand appeared in his hand.

"Siri?" Rose wanted to take a step back at the anger in his eyes.

"Not now, Rosebud." Pulled as if by a magnet, their fellow Marauders appeared at Sirius' shoulders.

"Still consorting with the mudblood and blood traitor scum of the wizarding world, Black?"

"And loving every minute of it, Avery" Sirius called, a dangerous edge to his voice.

"You were warned, cousin" the cold but beautiful Narcissa Black sneered, looking unsettlingly like her deranged sister. Said sister emerged from the stacks to stand beside her. Rose inwardly shuffered. If anyone had the jnsane look of death about them, it was all over Bellatrix's darkly beautiful features. "You will not be spared."

"You had the chance, Cissa, you could've left like Meda and I" Sirius told her sadly. "But the sides are chosen, and the lines drawn. If there is to be war, I know I'll be fighting for what's right."

"You've been misled and poisoned by the mudbloods and traitors you associate with-"

"Thank you" James interrupted, hand holding Sirius back.

"Don't call her that" Sirius spat, grey eyes burning with an almost terrifying intensity.

"One day you'll see, dear Cousin" Bellatrix cooed, Rose noticing that they were the only ones in the store. "Scum like that don't deserve the gifts they've stolen. One day you'll see that blood purity-"

"Skip the recruitment speech, Bella" Sirius rolled his eyes. "I am never going to join you, not now and not twenty years from now." He took a deep breath, still standing in front of the others. He was still shielding them from his insane family. "Now, if you will excuse us, we have to buy our Muggle Studies textbooks."

"You will rue the day you turned your back on your family, traitor!" A bitter laugh echoed around them.

"Not today."

Rose waited until the Slytherin's had left before she turned to a seething Sirius. "They actually, honestly tried to recruit you? You? The least Death Eaterish of all the Blacks?"

"Yeah" Sirius said shortly. "I told them to go to hell. As I've done for the past four years."

"Let's forget that for now" James cut in, looking significantly at Rose. He was telling her to drop it, but Sirius was hurting - and she had something to do with it. "This isn't the time or the place, and I think I see Girls at Florian's."

"Ice cream?" Peter perked up eagerly, startling a laugh out of Sirius.

"Indeed, Mr Wormtail."

"Yes!" Remus cheered like a child and grabbed Rose by the arm, dragging her off to the popular shop. They both missed James mutter seriously to Sirius. Sirius glared at him and shook his head, quickening his pace.

Lily stood up and hugged Rose and Remus the minute they approached the table. Dorcas was attacking a red and gold flashing concoction, while keeping up her end of a conversation with Hestia and Mary. Alice was giggling happily with Frank (her boyfriend since third year) at a table nearby, while Marlene and Sirius were doing their usual flirty discussion. Rose rolled her eyes, pitying poor Benjy Fenwick, who she knew for a fact Marlene actually fancied and who fancied her back. James nodded as Lily, sitting down in the chair farthest from her. "Oi! Pads! Put McKinnon down and get over here!" Sirius made a show of kissing Marlene's hand before dropping into the seat nearest James and putting his feet on the table. James messed up his hair, going for the just got off a broom look, and did the same. Lily completely ignored him, complaining about Vernon and Petunia, oblivious to James watching her captivated.

"You're staring again, mate" Sirius muttered, James blinking several times to come out of it.

For the first time in weeks, Rose felt herself relax completely - safe in the company of her sister, the Marauders and the Girls. They mocked the newly graduated Amos Diggory (who thought he was Merlin's gift to women), shared OWL results, and giggled over Professor Snotra's dire predictions every Divination class. James and Sirius chatted with Benjy and Frank, both behaving as much as they were ever about to. And there was something calming and right about it after the disaster that Bellatrix had been. But it wasn't to last. Dorcas remembered that they were needed back at the McKinnon house, and the memory of the Black's and the threats they had made crept back in. James looked wistfully after Lily, Remus set aside his new book without making much headway, and that dark expression from earlier eased back into Sirius' eyes. Unusually, it was James who exhaled in frustration, knuckles white by his glass. "Who are we?" he demanded, something that wasn't quite anger burning in his voice. Sirius looked at him as if he had finally cracked.

"What?"

"Who are we?" James repeated, and was that mania in his eyes? Rose felt unsettled, whatever it was. "Are we inexperienced first years, easily scared by threats and bullies? Or are we the Marauders, the best students Hogwarts has boasted since Dumbledore himself? The youngest animagi in history? Is there really a threat that can test us, tear us apart?" With a grin, James answered his own question. "No. We are the Marauders, and there is no force on this Earth that can stop us. If there is war coming, we will face it together. Until then, we are still the greatest pranksters Hogwarts has ever seen, and we have a prank to plan. Three weeks until the term starts."

"No more" Sirius agreed, his Marauder smirk spreading across his handsome face. "I let this ruin our summer, I let them win. Let's show them what the Marauders are capable of. We're going to live without fear."

"That almost sounded responsible" Remus teased, but his agreement was obvious. Peter nodded, as always most confident in their strength. Rose met James's eye, wishing she could say what she was thinking, what she was feeling, but they were Marauders and their actions spoke louder than words.

"What do you think about disco?" Sirius snorted butterbeer out of his nose, twin streams hitting James in the face. Their laughter echoed into Knockturn Alley, a sneer twisting Bellatrix's face, swearing retribution before too long.

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**Review? Next chapter... Hogwarts! Sixth year starting soon...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all!**

**I know i already posted today, but I'm so grateful to you all for reading, i decided to give you another update as a thank you. This one is dedicated to everyone who chose to read (even in the future - spooky).**

**Hogwarts and pranking is pretty much this chapter.**

**Again I really don't own anything. Not HP, not the Marauders, and not any of the music mentioned. If I missed an obvious piece, please let me know, and I'll amend.**

**Please, enjoy.**

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Chapter 4

Weariness and suspicion permeated the air in the Great Hall. The Marauders were nowhere to be seen; never a good thing with their reputation. McGonagall led the new students into the Great Hall, the firsties looking around in awe - everyone completely missing the five pairs of eyes peering around the doors. When McGonagall presented the Sorting Hat with her usual flourish, a wordless spell was cast. The students leaned forward in anticipation of the Hat's latest words of wisdom, a very different voice emerging from the rip in the brim. The voice was a mischievous mix of all five Marauders' voices, interspersed with single voices every now and then.

'_We're sorry for hijacking the Sorting Hat, but there was simply no other way. You see, we are the Marauders five, and we have some things to say. First of all, as you will notice, our absence is rather evident, but if we were in attendance our detentions would be prevalent. (And you said we wouldn't be able to rhyme it, Moony - Shut up, Padfoot). Second of all, if we were you, we wouldn't touch any of the food on the Slytherin side of the room. We've heard that Nick's deathday food is rather more fresh, but anyway it is all laced with slugs that eat flesh. And now that we've got your attention, and yes professor we know we'll spend our lives in detention; we feel it is only our duty to tell you things that our beloved Headmaster won't tell you because he's fruity. First, if you're useless don't even bother coming to the Gryffindor quidditch tryouts. Our intrepid Captain (Mr Prongs) hates time wasters and has a very low idiot threshold - looking right at you, Snivellus. Secondly, the Forbidden Forest will be holding all night raves from Halloween to Christmas, so do stop in and have a chat with the friendly centaurs who will shoot trespassers on sight. Third, Mr Moony is a prefect and will enforce the curfew especially if you're a Slytherin. (Prongs! - Quiet, Moony, we're pranking). Fourth, if anyone uses the word Mudblood, be prepared for dire retribution; blood purity is just classist crap and we won't tolerate it. Fifth and finally - because this is getting a little boring - we only think it's fair to tell you that the real reason we're not in the Hall tonight is because you will all be leaving with an intense desire to boogie on down to Disco music, and Lady Astra threatened to hex Mr Padfoot's hair bright pink if we had to be inflicted with Godric awful disco. Sorry if you hate disco, Evans, but you should've gone out with be. It's not too late; yes/no?'_

"Not a chance in hell, Potter!" Lily yelled, the Sorting Hat slumping in disappointment

'(_Bad luck, Prongs - Was that sarcasm, Astra? - Yes, Moony, it was). Where were we? Ah, yes, the signing off. We feel we've taken up far too much of your time with what we've had to say. So, with one final message, we'll return you to your Sorting with no further delay. If there was any doubt, cast it all aside. We are the Marauders, fun and mischief are the rules for which we abide. We give this one piece of advice to first years and returning students alike; find yourself some friends in whom you can always trust. Friendship is the only thing that keeps us together sometimes. We're all we have, and all we need. So find friends and never let them of luck for your Sorting, and we were kidding about the food, it's delicious. Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, and Lady Astra; welcome back to Hogwarts - mischief managed._'

Safe in a disused staffroom in the Astronomy Tower, the Marauders burst into laughter, clutching their sides and gasping for breath. "Did you see their faces?" James chuckled, tears misting his glasses. "They have no idea what we did."

"Well, we weren't exactly lying about the disco" Remus reminded them gleefully. "We just didn't tell them the whole truth."

"They don't need to know about the personalised aspects coming through" Sirius waved a hand, grinning sharply. "And as for my deranged family and their pals, well they deserve a little embarrassment. Turnabout is fair play."

"Revenge is a dish best served cold" Peter smirked, tugging on the sleeves of his new denim jacket. Sirius chuckled grimly.

"And it is so very cold under a lake."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Padfoot" Remus chided, rolling his eyes. The effect was quite psychedelic when combined with James's. "Itching powder, clothes that magically become too small, short sheeting, and books that wail really bad poetry when opened is hardly what I would relate to that statement."

"The wolf has a point, Siri" Rose smiled, taking a bottle of butterbeer from the table.

"See, Rosie agrees with me!"

"Only because she doesn't know any better."

"Oi!"

"There's no way out of this hole I've dug for myself, is there?" Sirius asked rhetorically. James answered anyway.

"Nope."

"Thanks, mate, you're a treasure." Sirius' sarcasm was evident. James winked at him, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Sod off, Potter."

"You're sounding like Evans, Pads" James informed him, an expression of dawning comprehension in his eyes. "I have a plan; a crazy, beyond mental plan of making our prank even better."

"Does it involve Lily?" Rose asked curiously, knowing the look in his hazel eyes.

"Got it in one."

"Whatever it is, it's crazy and completely idiotic. Don't do it." Remus delivered it all in a deadpan voice. James flipped him off and turned eagerly to Sirius.

"I'm always in, you know me, Prongs" Sirius shrugged. "You lead, we follow; that's the way it works."

"You are our intrepid leader" Peter smirked, sarcasm falling from his words.

"Shut up, Pete" James grumbled, finishing the last of the butterbeer. "Come on, you lot. They'll all be in bed now, the castle is ours." Sirius rose to his feet with easy grace, scoffing at his best friend.

"As if it isn't always."

Five shadows crossed the Entrance Hall, keeping to the walls to muffle their steps. A ripple, and one shadow disappeared, the others gathering around a map. They stared, transfixed as James Potter's dot moved across the hallways of Hogwarts. Sirius slipped away afterwards, taking another area for himself, then Remus nodded at Rose and Peter and took off upstairs at a dead run. Peter took a deep breath, watching the pocket watch and map in his hand. "The diversions are up, Astra, are we ready?"

"On your mark, Mr Wormtail."

"Now." Rose grinned at him and ran into the Great Hall, wand out in readiness. Non-verbal spells were a doddle after the Animagus transformation, so all she had to do was wait until her fellow Marauders returned. Under the cover of darkness, and with the castle asleep, the Marauders set up what was sure to be one of their more memorable and yet less offensive pranks yet.

The next morning, Hogwarts Castle awoke to the smell of fresh flowers growing by every window (including some very rare plants indeed to appease the Slug and Professor Sprout). A more relaxed mood filled the Great Hall, while the students sat down to their breakfast. The Marauders (the obvious miscreants who implemented the prank) were nowhere to be seen, but they were rarely out of bed before the bell rang to signal the first class. At the high table, Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief, slapping away a stray vine back from the table. Her shrewd gaze was the first to spot the five friends standing just outside the doors to the Hall. James cleared his throat, immediately gaining all eyes on him. With nothing more than a snap of their fingers (the sound as harmonious as the unusual friends), they stepped through the doorway as one. Music swelled the moment they entered; the Beatles' Revolution 1 seeming to come from the very air around them. "Did you really think last night was it?" James asked the room rhetorically, swaying gently to the music. "We're Marauders, we don't miss a prank."

"Music is the truest form of magic after love" Sirius added, hands casually in his pockets. "And so, out of the kindness of our hearts-"

"And forgetting how embarrassing this is going to be for all of us - we decided upon a little gift" Remus added, grinning unrepentantly.

"A musical, magical gift" Rose smiled, laughing as Sirius dipped her without warning.

"Allow us to demonstrate" Peter finished, nodding once at his fellow Marauders. Peter timed his exit from the Hall with the final notes of the song, James conducting the invisible band gleefully. He always loved it when a) the Beatles were involved, and b) when Remus tweaked his mad ideas. Peter stepped back into the room with a flourish, bowing deeply with the notes of With A Little Help From My Friends. James laughed and clapped his hands in delight, Sirius groaning quietly to himself. James grinned and all but ran to the door to be next, vibrating in excitement. He glanced briefly at Lily (who was stuck in an expression of awed shock) and stepped through. The Beatles' I've Just Seen A Face drifted from around him, James oddly blushing and avoiding their gazes. Remus, with a bright Marauder smirk on his face, waited until the very last note before leaving his breakfast and returning to the Hall. An expression of great concentration was on his face, and he seemed oddly proud that the oddly soothing Within You, Without You was coming from him. Sirius gagged and promptly coughed up some bacon, glaring at Remus for having the gall to play more Beatles.

"This wasn't planned" James offered apologetically, but he was smirking anyway. "Pads, Astra?"

"Hold your sodding hippogriffs, Prongs" Sirius glared, taking his time to carefully finish off the first of his plates of bacon - this one in an omelette. Rose caught herself laughing at his petulance, knowing that nobody made Sirius Black do anything he didn't want to do. "If it's the bloody Beatles again, Rosebud, I'll disown you." He winced when he heard what he said, but Rose just smirked at him; she was a Marauder too.

"Don't worry, Siri, James probably worked something in with his spell-"

"Astra!" James looked horrified. "Marauder Rule #1."

"Rules are made to be broken?"

"No, not that one" James waved a hand dismissively. "The other one."

"Marauder secrets go to the grave" Sirius intoned gravely. "Now, stop being such a berk, Prongs, and let Rosebud have her turn."

"Thank you, Siri" Rose smiled brightly, waving at Lily as she went. She took a deep breath, feeling uncharacteristically nervous about what she was about to do. She was Rose Marianne Evans, for Merlin's sake, she could handle whatever this was going to turn out to be. And by Godric, she bloody well would. Rose recognised the song the very moment it started playing; she'd first heard it while lying out on the grounds in the spring holiday, a wireless placed strategically among the roots of the beech tree. James had been off pestering Lily, Peter watching eagerly to report to the others. Remus was dozing off in the sunlight, tired from a Full Moon adventure. Sirius had been leaning against the trunk of the tree, keeping watch with an easy grace and keen interest. Rose had about made up her mind to go and rescue James from her sister's sharp tongue, when the song had come on the wireless. It was a Beatles song, but since Rose didn't much listen to the radio (the Marauders generally had more interesting things to do - and Petunia had despised the band), she hadn't heard it until then. The song was called I . Sirius pretended to glare at her, but couldn't help but smile even in the face of more Beatles. He was, by his own admission, a Punk Wrock kind of bloke, and while he appreciated the Fab Four, he preferred them in more moderation. "If I get the Beatles, I'll know it's a cosmic joke."

"Or maybe the Fab Four are the soundtrack of the Marauders?" James suggested, bacon in one hand, a sausage in the other.

"They certainly could be for how often you play their records in the dormitory" Frank muttered, Alice giggling in surprise.

"No taste, no vote, Longbottom" James snapped, pushing Sirius towards the doorway. The grey eyed Marauder clutched dramatically at Remus.

"Save me, Moony! Don't let him make me do it!"

"All for one and one for all" Remus parroted in an almost bored tone. "You know the rules, Padfoot." Sirius yelled like an extra in a B-Grade horror film and slumped like a puppet with it's strings cut. He stood on the other side of the doorway, briefly seemed to consider doing a runner and legging it out into the grounds, but caught Remus' suddenly stern glare. With the air of a man walking to his inevitable execution, Sirius stepped over the threshold and loped with a carefree stride back to his breakfast. Sirius was carefully calm, an expression his fellow troublemakers knew meant he was exercising his not-inconsiderable mental control. James rolled his eyes at the silence and pinched his best mate in the side - hard.

"Merlin, Prongs! That hurt, you sadistic bastard!" Sadly, his fellow Marauders ignored his justifiable outrage in favour of falling off the bench laughing. The Beatles' And I Love Her (a shockingly romantic song for the notorious Playboy) emanated from the air around him, a scowl taking up residence on his handsome face. "I hate you all."

"You'll really despise us within a week" Peter smirked, spluttering with a face full of scrambled egg.

Professor McGonagall's first period double Transfiguration class took twice as long to enter as it usually did. The Marauders had entered in groups - James and Sirius to the tune of He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (to which they remained deadpan), and Rose, Remus and Peter to Frank Sinatra's My Way (just because). They then had the glee of watching their classmates run in and try to muffle the sound somehow. Frank and Alice walked in to Elton John and Kiki Dee's Don't Go Breaking My Heart, and Benjy to Stairway to Heaven - he shrugged and looked as though he didn't much care. Marlene, Dorcas and Mary skipped in to the tune of the Time Warp (Remus looking jealous), while Snape slunk in to the embarrassment of Peggy Sue. Lily watched the Marauders - especially James - for a long moment, nodded to herself and then stepped in as if having music suddenly surround her was completely normal. She too, was gifted the genius of the Beatles, Rose suspecting James' influence in the choice of Here Comes The Sun. Professor McGonagall entered to the muted strains of a mournful bagpipe, fixing her sharpest glare upon the five Marauders. "I have just come from an emergency meeting of the Heads of House. The Headmaster wishes me to inform you five that he is intensely proud of the feat you achieved, and the kindness of your act." Sirius caught their eye and mouthed 'prank'. "To that end, you have each been awarded twenty points." Lily smiled slightly, Rose almost doing a double take at her sister. "Gryffindor is now out of negative points. Furthermore, as your acts have been helpful to Professor's Sprout and Slughorn, you will only have to serve a week's detention each - this includes the punishment from last night's prank."

"Only a week, Minnie?" Sirius yelled in outrage. "I thought we had something special." McGonagall thinned her lips at him.

"Sit down, Black."

"Sitting down now, Minnie, my dearest."

"Professor?" Lily raised her hand curiously. "Will Professor Flitwick be able to remove the charms?" Rose definitely saw McGonagall glance towards the Marauders proudly before she answered.

"He is reluctant to try. He still remembers the Firework Fiasco, the Dungbomb Disaster-"

"The Slime Situation?" James piped up, grinning in unison with Sirius. The duo batting suggestions back and forth.

"Or the Niffler Nightmare?"

"The Potato Problem?"

"The Doxy Dilemma?"

"The Portrait Panic?"

"Possibly the Fondue Fountain Frustration?"

"The Corridor Catastrophe?"

"The Shifting Staircase Suspicion?"

"Thank you, Mr Potter, Mr Black" McGonagall said calmly, silencing them both easily. "I'm sure you'll enjoy continuing that enlightening discussion in detention next week." James grinned at her with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, Professor, thank you Professor." Remus slapped the back of his head and wore his most angelic expression.

"Now, to the basics of human transfiguration. Can anyone tell me-" James raised his hand immediately, just like every other time McGonagall asked a question.

"Teachers pet" Sirius teased, and Rose had to smile; the year was off to a great start already.

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Reviews give Remus chocolate**


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all! Thank you for continuing to read!**

**This one contains a hint of Full Moon fun, and a hint of foreshadowing.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

**Oh, and as a sidenote: Happy Ace Awareness Week!**

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A howl split the crisp night air, echoing around the sleepy town of Hogsmeade. Halloween was fast approaching, and the people of the only wizarding village were uneasy. Unknown to them, four stalwart friends ran up a passage to the most haunted building in Britain, no thoughts in mind but to make this transformation easier on their unfortunate brother. This night, like so many others, was carefully planned down to the last detail - Hogwarts had given up some secrets, now Hogsmeade would fall before the Marauder Pack. They were, without doubt, the strangest pack in all of Britain; a somewhat tamed werewolf running with a bear sided black dog, a majestic stag, a wily rat, and a shining unicorn. The pack broke cover and ran for the mountains surrounding the sleepy village. Playful barks and yips were exchanged, none thinking of the possible danger their carelessness could cause. That playful exuberance sent Padfoot tumbling down the side of the mountain, running back to the others moments later as if nothing had happened. Prongs tossed his magnificent head, Moony sending a challenging howl at the radiant disc of the Full Moon. The message was clear; even this curse was a blessing when surrounded by the loving warmth of a pack. Wormtail chittered excitedly, running back and forth on a rock deep within a cave in the mountainside. Padfoot gently bumped into a watchful Astra, dark eyes twinkling with a familiar mischief. A motion of a golden hoof cuffed the playful dog, Padfoot tackling Prongs for the stag-influenced maneuver. Life was simpler as the pack, there were no real human distractions in these forms - just the pure animal instincts, the need of the pack, the sense of something bigger than the individual. That was the core of the Marauders; they were more than any one member, but could be nothing without the whole group. Moony saw the fun that Padfoot and Prongs were having and threw himself in with a gleeful yip, Wormtail chittering unbiased encouragement to the four (after Astra was brought in sneakily by Padfoot) roughhousing Marauders. A woof of laughter from Padfoot meant a moment of distraction, a lapse that saw the black dog sailing down the mountain for the second time that night. With an ease born of these situations, Prongs distracted the distressed werewolf, letting Astra scaled the mountainside, returning to her human form as soon as it was safe to do so. Padfoot whimpered piteously from on top of a precarious rock, leaning into the ginger hand Rose extended. "Oh, Siri" Rose breathed softly, voice swallowed by the night. She hated the thought of what she was about to do - force a transformation - but there was no way she had the skill to heal Sirius' animagus form like she could his human one. Healing was a skill they learned by dangerous necessity - after all, running with a werewolf and pranking everything in sight was a dangerous business. "I'm sorry, Sirius" Rose murmured, drawing her wand on the handsomest Marauder and beginning the spell. Mere moments later, a gentle blue light gathered around the injured dog animagus, an unfairly handsome, shirtless Sirius groaning in pain and holding his ribs. Merlin, there really should be laws against men looking that good - especially ones that were off limits and among the only people in the world Rose actually cared about.

"The best healers are the most compassionate" Sirius groaned, pain crossing his features. "Remember what Pommers said. It's the care-"

"For the patients that makes a healer truly great in their ability" Rose parroted quietly. "I know, Siri. But what-"

"Non-verbal, Rosebud and make it quick" Sirius cut in, talking over her. "Broken ribs are no fun." She felt herself scowling at the impatience in his grey eyes. If she did this wrong, she could potentially vanish all the bones in his chest. That moronic Ravenclaw that graduated last year, Gilderoy Lockhart, had vanished all the bones in his leg while trying to fix a broken toe. And yet, Sirius had faith in her, so she kept that faith in herself, drawing a deep breath in through her nose before her wand raised. The pained groan that escaped Sirius' clenched jaw stabbed fear straight into Rose's heart. Had it gone wrong? "Mending bones is no pleasure cruise" Sirius gritted out, breathing heavily. He pushed himself to his feet, tugging Rose into his arms. She went willingly, falling limp against his muscular chest. At a wordless nod from Sirius, she ran her hands up and down his chest, feeling the solid warmth and unbroken reassurance of his health. Rose let out a shuddering breath of relief, and hid her face in his chest; up until now her healing had just been minor things, Sirius and Remus the expert ones in the friendship. His heart beat steadily under her palm, an unreadable emotion in his suddenly vault-like eyes. "I'm alright, Rosebud. Let's go" he murmured, well-bred accent deepening the words. Rose pushed aside the sudden spike of warmth (what was going on with her tonight, Merlin's Beard) and focused on his voice. "They'll be worried." Unspoken was the knowledge of what a worried Moony could do to Prongs and tiny Wormtail.

"Yeah, you're right" Rose agreed, nodding perhaps a bit to much. "Remmy will be worried." Another odd emotion crossed his eyes, but it was quickly gone. Sirius smiled once and brushed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you, Rosebud."

"There's nothing you ever need to thank me for, Sirius Black" Rose replied quickly, watching the handsome man transform back into the loyal black dog. He barked and watched over her own transformation, leading the way back to the cave with a wagging tail.

Morning came upon them too soon, a rare occasion that the Marauders were unprepared for daybreak. They'd slumped into a pile not long before dawn, falling asleep in that darkest hour before day. The only consolation was that the Full Moon had fallen on a Friday, meaning they weren't late for any classes. However, their absence was sure to be missed - especially by the occupants of their dormitories. _"Prongs._ Prongs! _PRONGS!"_ Remus' whisper-hiss brought Rose unwillingly into consciousness. James sleepily mumbled something, a sound then followed by something oddly akin to a forceful slap around the head. "James Harold Fleamont Potter!"

"That means you, Prongs" Sirius' voice muttered, Rose feeling a brush of air move past her.

"Wussgoinnon?" James slurred sleepily.

"It's past daybreak and I'm not wearing a Godric damned stitch!" Remus growled, louder than he probably intended to. Rose felt a horrified groan escape her lips, and promptly buried her head in the nearest convenient place. Judging by the automatic feel of arms coming around her, Rose guessed that place was in one of her fellow Marauders' chests.

"I did _not_ need to know that, Rem" Rose said tiredly, feeling the exhaustion that usually followed their Full Moon escapades. "Not now, not ever. Ew." Rose felt a chuckle rumble through the chest she was hiding in, something oddly comforting about it. She was tired, she wasn't going to think too much about that. Remus' mortification was palpable.

"I was hoping to remedy the situation before you woke up, Rosie" the responsible Marauder complained sheepishly.

"Why?" Peter, bless him, was never the most perceptive fellow in the mornings.

"Because he's bloody naked, you fool" James snapped, quick to anger without his breakfast - as Bertram Aubrey had found out when he casually called for the extermination of all muggle-borns.

"But why in the name of Merlin's stinkiest unwashed underpants should that even _matter?"_ Peter complained, rather petulant. Rose pitied the others for having to put up with him in the mornings. "We're all Marauders here."

"Marauders we may be" Sirius acknowledged, his voice vibrating from the chest in front of Rose. "But you're forgetting that our beloved Lady Astra is still, Godric preserve us, a person of the feminine persuasion."

"A what?" Peter's stupid question was punctuated by a loud growl from his stomach.

"She's a sodding girl, you tosser" Sirius barked, rubbing absent circles into Rose's back to stop her from turning around. "Now, Prongs" he continued calmly, as if sensing Rose didn't feel comfortable not being able to see them. "If you would be so kind as to demonstrate the remarkable transfiguration skills McGonagall is always harping about, and transfigure Moony some clothes, we might be able to get back to the Shrieking Shack before Evans sends out a search party."

"Or comes tearing after us, demanding to know what horrible, depraved, Marauder acts we've done to her sister" James agreed, humming happily to himself. Rose huffed, breath tickling the smooth skin in front of her. She almost thought she felt a shudder, but that was probably just her overactive imagination.

"Soon, Rosebud" Sirius murmured softly. "Prongs, I'm not even going to think about wearing that." James grumbled under his breath, Rose having the awful feeling that Sirius was giving James the finger.

"Very mature, Pads" James smirked, tossing over something that hit Rose's back.

"Prongs" Sirius' voice was a low growl, a warning sound she'd only heard a few times before - usually when the word mudblood was being tossed about.

"I meant to hit you?" James offered, but the excuse sounded much more like a weak question.

"You're just lucky it's a leather jacket" Sirius informed him sseriously , his voice taking on a more gentle note when he turned, metaphorically speaking, to Rose. "You can look now, Rosebud." She pulled away slowly and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Siri."

"There's nothing you'll ever have to thank me for, Rose Evans" Sirius replied, echoing her words from last night. Rose inclined her head in acknowledgement, smiling slightly. She turned to Remus, seeing her friend tired but healed, and wearing a comfortable pair of trousers and a loose blue shirt. He looked like any teenager on their relaxing weekend. Sirius, on the other hand, looked the very image of his bad-boy persona; his jeans were torn at the knees and covered with various suspicious stains that spoke of his nonchalant carelessness. The brand new black leather jacket (perfectly matching the one Sirius had in his truck back at the castle) worn without any shirt underneath just completed the rebellious image. Objectively, he would make half the women in the castle swoon, the other half either being too young or too related to him to see the utter perfection on display to them. Rose mentally slapped that little voice in her head, pushing it firmly back into the box it had inhabited for the past eighteen months, give or take. "We should get back to the castle" Sirius said reluctantly. "There's no Hogsmeade weekend until Halloween."

"And we won't be able to stay long because of our lingering tradition" Remus yawned reluctantly. "At every feast, a Marauder prank."

"One we'll have to start planning" James smirked, that look never boding well.

"Oh, how do I look?" Sirius asked them all, waggling his eyebrows just so.

"Like a complete berk" James told him cheerfully, Peter muttering mournfully to himself. Rose heard him anyway.

"Just once, Merlin, just give us one outfit he looks a right berk in."

"That's never going to happen, Pete" Rose told him sadly, knowing the statement to be truth. Peter nodded and groaned again, stretching protesting muscles as he got to his feet. James grinned at them all, a familiar mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and then took off outside.

"Race you to the shack!"

"That's a low, underhanded trick, Prongs!" Sirius yelled, legging it out after him. Remus pinched the bridge of his nose, avoiding Rose's gaze sheepishly .

"I suppose we'd better go keep them out of trouble" the werewolf suggested, coughing awkwardly. James and Sirius popped back in with identical grins.

"We heard that" James teased, shoving Remus playfully. "But, Siriusly, last one to the shack is a Grindylow." Remus' delighted laughter lit up the morning, rushing past the others with a bright grin.

"Get back here, Moony!" James yelled, sharing a brief look with the others before they ran off after him.

* * *

The castle corridors were still as the Marauders crept out of the grounds-castle passage hidden behind the statue of Godric Gryffindor near the Fat Lady's Portrait. It was still early enough that most of the students were still snug in their beds, dreaming of whatever it was that normal teenagers dreamt of. The Fat Lady was so used to them being out at all hours that she barely even batted an eyelid at the sight of them standing before her, yawning. Remus gave a jaw-cracking yawn and mangled the password, Sirius rolling his eyes at the bookish male. "Paravel" he intoned clearly, the portrait opening to reveal the portrait hole entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. Dear sweet Dorcas was the only one awake in the common room, sitting at a desk by the window, writing a letter to her parents. A fuzzy pink robe was on over her pyjamas and she blinked at the sight of them covered in Godric only knows what from their night out and subsequent race down the mountainside. Her dark eyes stayed on Sirius a bit too long for Rose's peace of mind, but otherwise didn't seem bothered by the sight of them.

"I don't even want to know" Dorcas informed them swiftly. "I'm just sitting here, minding my own business before I'm going to post a letter." She looked at them shrewdly. "Is there anywhere I should stay away from?"

"Peeves and his usual trick of dropping that bust on unsuspecting passersby" James recommended cheerfully, his hand already messing up his hair.

"You look like a berk, Prongs" Rose told him snappishly, Sirius glancing curiously at her.

"And that is night-night time for Rosebud" the grey-eyed Marauder announced swiftly. "And for me, because I'm exhausted."

"See you in three hours, after I kill Marlene for playing the Banshees again" Rose smiled sweetly, James snickering into his hand.

"They're not that bad, Rose" Dorcas made the mistake of saying, Remus and Sirius wincing in unison.

"They're _Girl Wrock"_ Rose replied with dignity. She hated girl wrock.

"It beats Glam Wrock" Dorcas shrugged, and if Rose wasn't so tired and emotionally drained from the events of the previous night, she might have reacted better or quicker. As it was, Sirius was holding the tops of her arms, pushing her gently but firmly towards the staircase to the Girls Dormitories.

"You like Dorcas" Sirius told her quickly, reassuringly. "If you like we can prank her later. I'll personally help you plan and implement it." He looked at her with that puppy dog look of concern. "Just please get a few hours sleep first. For m- us." Rose found herself nodding helplessly - no one could resist Sirius Black when he looked that sincere and hopeful. She stopped just out of sight from the common room, and clearly heard Sirius turn to Dorcas. "For the love of Merlin, Meadowes, when Rose looks like that, either be nice or shut up. I'm going to bed, Prongs. I'll see you up there, or later."

* * *

Behind scarlet curtains, Rose tossed and turned, lost in the depths of a nightmare. Her eyelids fluttered, murmurs and screams broke free from her bitten and bleeding lips. She was running, running through her hometown, being chased or chasing something she couldn't see, but knew was there. Danger lurked around every corner, blood pumping fast through her veins. It wasn't the adrenaline euphoria of quidditch, this was the flight for life reflex. She ran around the corner, hoping to see the familiar turn to her childhood home, and came face-to-face with black mist. There were voices coming from the darkness;

"Lily, take Harry and run! I'll hold him off!" - James

"There's a spy within the Order" - McGonagall

"It does not do to dwell on the past and forget the future" - Dumbledore

"Lily and James" - Remus, horrified. Then there were just snippets of voices she couldn't place;

"Wormtail, go to the castle, tell them we need reinforcements-"

_"Crucio!"_

"He's a Death Eater!"

"Step aside, silly girl-"

"Join me-"

"Nothing less than the deepest desires of your heart-"

"Love is the one thing they will never understand-"

"Mudblood-"

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

"Rosebud!"

"Where are the Potter's?-"

"Tell me or watch him die."

"Rosie!"

A flash of green came out of the darkness, accompanied by cackling laughter and a blood curdling scream.

* * *

Wailing and shrieking and loud guitar riffs broke rudely into Rose's sleep, disturbed though it was. A rough jolting motion kept her from succumbing to the sweet bliss of sleep, Lily's worried voice joining the motions. "Rosie. Rosie!" Rose didn't think, her wand was drawn and pointed at the intruder before her eyes even opened. Lily's emerald eyes were wide in concern and fear, her hands spread wide in that universal gesture of being unarmed and meaning no harm. "You were having a nightmare. You woke us up." Lily's soothing tone equally calmed Rose and set her teeth on edge. But she was confused, so confused. She didn't remember a nightmare.

"I was?" The last time she had a nightmare, she had been seven and cried out for her father. Had she done the same now? Or had it been something even more mortifying that she had cried out for? Mary, the shyest and gentlest girl Rose had ever met ran back into the dormitory, breathing heavily. Her dark curls were in disarray, and her blue eyes were watery with strain.

"Boys, waiting. Common room" she panted, gasping for breath. "Black tried, get up. Slide. Stupid." Rose forced her jelly-like arms to hold her weight long enough to sit up, pushing strands of dark red hair out of her face.

"Lily. _What did I say_?" Her twin sisters cherry lips opened, but another voice echoed into the dormitory.

"Evans! For the love of Merlin! What the Salazar is going on up there!" Rose blushed, mortified, but raised an eyebrow at her studious sister.

"Well?" Lily glanced to the right, where Marlene and Alice were standing with a pale Hestia and still-gasping Mary, and perched at the end of Rose's bed. Were they back in Cokeworth, this would've been a normal Saturday morning girl talk kind of thing, but they were at Hogwarts, and girl talk was generally regulated to the times they had massive girls night pyjama parties with lots of chocolate and bad music, and too much complaining about James and his insufferable arrogant toerag-ness, ego, and inability to understand the word no.

"You were mumbling for a while" Lily began quietly, looking pale herself. "Then you went quiet, like you were listening to something we couldn't hear. A-and then, there was this scream, Rosie, it was horrible-"

"Like someone had been killed in front of your eyes" Hestia stated, always a sensitive soul. Rose winced, Lily shooting the red-cheeked witch a glare that said she wasn't helping.

"And then?" Rose asked coolly. She was starting to remember, but there was a piece missing.

"You said 'James'" Marlene said, matter of fact. "You sounded worried, like James was in some sort of danger. And then you screamed. I think you said-"

"She did say" Alice cut in, unhelpful herself. "She did, Marls." Rose glanced at her wand on the nightstand, contemplating hexing them until she got some answers.

"Black" Lily sniffed, sympathy and annoyance in her voice.

"Sirius" Marlene corrected, seeing the glint in Rose's eye. She saw it again in her mind; the wand raising, that green light, a boyish smirk of defiance frozen forever on the most handsome of faces. She promptly leaned off the side of the bed and threw up.

"Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" Lily murmured, rubbing her back gently. That was the last thing in the world that Rose wanted. She shook her head anyway, just to get the point across.

"Black, Potter, Pettigrew and Lupin are going to have a collective aneurysm if they don't get some answers soon" Dorcas announced, standing just inside the doorway. She saw Rose awake and smiled the smile of the desperately relieved and still worried. "I'm sorry about earlier, Rose."

"Insulting Glam Wrock is the last of my problems right now, Dor, but thanks" Rose said, noting how raw and raspy her voice was. Suddenly, the last place on Earth she wanted to be was in that bed surrounded by the well-meaning smothering concern. "Excuse me." Her legs were shaky, but they held her weight long enough for her to stumble downstairs.

Standing frozen at the bottom of the girls dormitory stairs, Rose saw the worry (if such a tame word applied) in her friends faces. Peter was pale, nervously eating Fudge Flies (his comfort food) by the handful, eyes darting continuously to the very doorway Rose was standing in. Remus sat on the armchair closest to the girls dorms, his head in his hands, body rocking gently. James paced wildly in front of the fireplace, dressed still in the clothes from last night, his hazel eyes tired behind his glasses. Sirius just stood there like a statue, grey eyes fixed on Rose with an intensity that also hid whatever he was thinking and feeling. His grey orbs filled with a relief that she could virtually reach out and touch. As for Rose, she didn't think, she just snapped out of her stupor and let out a quiet kind of sob. It was just a horrible nightmare; they were all okay. Empathy and warmth softened the unrelenting intensity in Sirius' face, the only decent Black opening his arms slightly in invitation. It wasn't much of an invitation, but it was all she needed to cross that final distance to his arms. Just like last night, she reacted without thinking, trusting in the safety and protection she felt whenever she was in his embrace. She could feel his slightly erratic heartbeat relax through the fabric of his loose, untucked formal shirt, his arms holding her closer to him. Another sob bubbled up from her chest, born of relief and the lingering horror of the nightmare. "It's okay, Rosebud" Sirius murmured, barely able to be heard. "Whatever it was, it was just a bad dream." She shook her head, feeling him unbalance slightly as he sat down on the nearest sofa.

"James and Lily and- and you. Green light and laughing, so much laughing. And I couldn't- I couldn't, Siri, I tried so hard. But I couldn't, I just couldn't. And you all, you all-"

"It was just a nightmare" Sirius said gently but firmly, cutting off her babbling. "You saw Ev- Lily, and she's fine; worried about you, but fine. And Prongs, you saw him pacing like a fool - clearly he's struggling to find words to get Evans to go out with him again. Which means he's fine" Rose breathed out a faint huff of laughter, feeling Sirius smile in response.

"Pads!" James glared, offended. It was Remus not Sirius who replied.

"Shut up, Prongs. Carry on, Padfoot."

"Thank you, Moony" Sirius said, Rose feeling a chuckle go through him. "And as for me, well, I wouldn't be talking if I weren't here, Rosebud. And I am sitting here in all my unfair, Merlin-sent handsomeness."

"Ugh" Lily's groan of disgust perfectly punctuated Rose's slightly hysterical but genuine giggles. "He's more conceited than Potter."

"Is it conceitedness if it's true?" Rose heard herself ask, and promptly hid her burning face deeper against the soft fabric of Sirius' shirt.

"She's got you there, Lily" Remus admitted, Sirius suddenly shaking with laughter.

"Your face, Evans, really is priceless."

"Black, I swear to Merlin, if-"

"No threats, Lilykins" Sirius sang in his most irritating tone of voice. "You promised to get along with us."

"I promised to try, Black" Lily glowered dangerously. "That doesn't mean I won't hex you into a grease spot." Rose heard the warning and tensed, ready to do Godric knows what.

"If you could lay off the threats of bodily harm for five minutes, Evans" Sirius began lightly, implication hiding in his words. "We might be able to rescue our weekend." Rose felt his arms tighten around her, the feeling inexplicably relaxing her to the point her tired eyes began to drift shut. The last thing she heard was the wireless coming on, playing the gentle sounds of a wizarding radio comedy show. She felt Sirius say something, but she fell asleep before she could think to try and translate it.

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**Thank you again for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all! I'm back again!**

**This chapter was once two separate chapters but they were too small so you get one big chapter!**

**Featuring some girl talk and Marauder bonding. Enjoy!**

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A gentle wind danced through the leaves of the trees in the Forbidden Forest, while the sun's rays bounced off the surface of the Black Lake. Rose stood by the bank of the lake, enjoying the rare solitude. There was nowhere she felt safer or more at home than when she was with the Marauders, but her nightmare had left her unsettled, and her friends oddly on edge. They knew more about the coming danger than anyone else, and Rose could see that it was affecting Sirius more than the others. But, they were starting to put it behind them, planning the great Halloween Prank of 1976, contemplating new ways to torment their utterly useless new Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor (Aldrich E. Grimhorn), and putting on the Marauder masks that they hid behind from the rest of the school. Footsteps crunched on the crisp grass behind her, too light and too gentle to be any of her fellow Marauders. Rose didn't know if she was happy or sad about that. Familiar notes of lily and sunshine (or so James once insisted so memorably when he was drunk) tickled her nose. "Hi Lils."

"You look happier, Rosie" Lily smiled gently, looking so beautiful and kind it hurt.

"I-" Rose began only to break off. She bent down to pick up a twig from the ground. She spun it in her fingers and applied just enough pressure to have it snap and crumble into dust. Lily leant on the trunk of the tree, watching Rose calmly. "It was just a nightmare, Lily. I was just a little unsettled by it, but not anymore. James said that I was being foolish for letting the incident get under my skin. And now I'm better."

"Uh-huh" Lily agreed, looking amused. "Marlene's calling a Girl's Night. She's got Black to agree to smuggle in some liquor - which I think he only agreed to because she said it was for you or something, I don't know."

"And we poor helpless mortals don't stand a chance against her will?" Lily laughed (a sound James had described as the perfect tinkling of clear crystal chimes - to which Sirius had called him a lovestruck berk and smacked him upside the head) and held out her hand. Rose grinned at her sister and took the offered hand, her heart feeling lighter at the rare show of sisterly affection - and the sight of Sirius and James leaning 'casually' against the castle walls. Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the sight of the ringleader Marauders, James holding his hands up in innocence.

"Since you and McKinnon have claimed our comrade Rosebud for your shameless night in" Sirius recited clearly. "We (Mr Prongs and my good self) have no choice but to-"

"Oh, for the love of Merlin" Lily groaned. "Five minutes, then she's in the dorm."

"Deal" Sirius agreed, smiling dashingly. Lily threw her arms up in disgust, muttering unpleasantries under her breath about the Marauders.

"I heard that!" James called after her, clearly unable to resist a parting jab. Sirius smirked at Rose's raised eyebrow, James grinning unrepentantly. Rose couldn't help but laugh along with them, finally seeing the dark shadows fall from over their eyes. "If you would come with us, Lady Astra?" James invited, sweeping his hand grandly towards the entrance to the castle. Sirius gallantly offered her his arm, for once ignoring the crowds of girls giggling at the sight of him, and led the way inside. Remus was waiting by the Fat Lady's Portrait, head buried in what Rose knew was a well-read copy of Hairy Snout, Human Heart, and was muttering to himself every now and then.

"Moony, for Merlin's sake, don't be so boring" Sirius called, his eye roll audible.

"I have to have a few minutes peace, Padfoot" Remus informed him seriously. "Godric knows that my peace will be a thing of the past as soon as Rosie departs to join the Girls."

"I was already getting booze, Moony" Sirius smirked, completely failing to look innocent. "Was I supposed to not get enough for a lock-in?" Rose laughed at a memory from the last time the dorm had been in booze mode.

"You will look after Benjy and Pete, won't you, Siri?" Rose asked hopefully, an earnest look in her violet eyes. "They are, after all, a couple of lightweights."

"For you, my dear Rosebud, I shall make that pledge" Sirius informed her seriously, even adding a bow on to the end. James snorted and muttered something under his breath. Sirius sent a quick, harmless tickling spell, James promptly laughing like a maniac in between glares at a completely unrepentant Sirius. The grey eyed Marauder raised his eyebrows and shrugged, as if he was saying 'what can you do?'. The Fat Lady's Portrait swung open, nearly hitting Remus in the face (James's quidditch reflexes preventing that from happening), and an apologetic Emmeline popped her head out.

"Lily says five minutes are up, sorry Rosie."

"And you can tell Lily that-"

"She'll be right up" Sirius cut in diplomatically. They climbed through the portrait hole, the three present male Marauders escorting her to the entrance to the Girls Dormitories.

"See you in the morning, Rosie" Remus sighed, climbing the boys stairs like a man marching to his execution. James laughed and dipped into an exaggerated bow, running off after Remus while yelling out his own good night. Sirius looked briefly despairing of the duo, but smiled warmly anyway.

"Unsubtle bastards, the both of them" he muttered, shaking his immaculate hair out of his face. "Until tomorrow, my dear Rosebud." Rose smiled and returned his fleeting hug.

"Nighty-night Siri."

As soon as Rose stepped into her dorm, Mary and Hestia grabbed her arms, pulled her in and slammed the door shut behind her. Marlene smirked, tossed her newly died black hair over her shoulder, and walked on high heels (Rose had no idea how she tolerated wearing them) over to the record player. Rose didn't want to nitpick, but it was in fact her record player that they always used (and she knew for a fact that Marlene had one of her own). True to the unusual taste of the pureblood witch, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Side A began to fill the room, Marlene's arms raising into the air with happiness. Emmeline beat the rush and had already changed into her pyjamas, and was lying on her front facing the clear space in the middle of the dorm, her feet swinging in the air. Dorcas spun around near the bathroom door, a bottle of firewhiskey in her hand and a blissful smile on her face. Lily looked at Rose, both of their eyes sparkling at the sight of Hestia and Mary doing the Charleston near Marlene. Rose grinned widely, grabbing the first clothes she came to and ducking into the bathroom to change and get a few last moments of sanity. She emerged in a soft white formal shirt that had in no way shape or form once been one of Sirius' (it had) and a pair of short sleep pants, and was immediately assaulted with butterbeer, chocoballs and yet more Elton John. Lily, by this time, was dancing madly with Marlene, her cat Snowflake curled up on top of the nearest windowsill out of harms way. Alice came in, blinked once and immediately jumped in with Emmeline's crazy robot dance moves. Dorcas laughed brightly, swinging Rose into the madness with her. And this was only stage one (dancing), there were still two whole stages after that (girl talk - cute boys, crushes, that sort of thing - and makeovers - where Marlene really shone) followed by whatever else they wanted to do. Eventually (and not a moment too soon), they got tired of the genius of Elton John and Mary bounced over to the record player with compilation Wrock album 'Let It Wrock'. The rocking baseline reminded Rose of Sirius' favourite pre-punk songs (before he discovered The Sex Pistols and their unique ability to really annoy his puritanical parents). Rose downed the rest of her butterbeer, tossed the bottle into the bin, and laughed out loud. Hestia and Dorcas spun next to her, all the girls throwing their arms about in complete mayhem, singing at the tops of their voices and not caring a jot.

Some time later, after the sky had darkened and the waning moon had crept higher in the night sky, the crazy dancing/acting carefree and young part of the night was over. Rose sat on the bottom of Marlene's bed, all the girls clustered over Marlene and Dorcas' beds (with the exception of Emmeline who was stretched over her own bed, slightly tipsy). "Are you ever going to put poor Benjy out of his misery?" Lily asked out of nowhere, blowing gently on the undercoat of nail polish Marlene was carefully applying.

"Are you ever going to put Potter out of his misery?" Marlene retorted without missing a beat. Lily gave Marlene her best unimpressed glare.

"I don't fancy Potter, and I certainly don't flirt with Black every five minutes."

"I don't fancy Benjy" Marlene said, but nobody in the school believed that. Rose scoffed and scooped out more clotted cream from her chocoball. "What was that scoff for, Rose?"

"Did I make a noise?" Rose asked innocently, widening her eyes in the way that made uninitiated professors let her off without detentions.

"Your Marauder tricks don't work on us" Alice pointed out, her voice louder than strictly necessary.

"What Alice said" Emmeline agreed with a long giggle. Rose grinned at the pair and shook her long hair out of her face.

"If I made a noise, and this is in no way, shape or form an admission, than I would have been expressing the depths of the disbelief I have in your statement, Marlene."

"And in English?" Hestia teased, Lily looking rather please d that the conversation had moved away from her and James.

"I thought she was full of it" Rose obliged, Marlene dropping her jaw in surprise.

"I do not fancy Benjy."

"Yes you do" Rose informed her. "And it's really not fair on him that you keep flirting with Sirius whenever he's around. Benjy's a sweet bloke, a little too earnest for my liking, but kind and helpful." Marlene narrowed her midnight blue eyes at her, the orbs sparkling with something that wasn't anger but wasn't unlike suspicion.

"You're just saying that because you fancy Black." Lily promptly choked on her liquorice wand, Mary kindly clapping her on the back. Rose thought for a moment and shrugged in what she hoped was nonchalant unconcern.

"I don't think that there's a woman in this Castle over the age of fourteen that doesn't fancy Sirius Black" Rose said honestly. "I mean, even objectively, he's - well, I don't think fit really describes it. He's easily the best-looking bloke in the castle. And then there's his hair-"

"His sense of humour" Dorcas added cheerily.

"His eyes" Rose continued, remembering some girls twittering about it. She personally thought all of him was absolutely perfect, but she was not going to admit that to her gossipy roommates.

"You have a point" Lily admitted, tilting her head thoughtfully. "But isn't he a bit shallow? Him and Potter-"

"Both know how good-looking they are, and aren't afraid to capitalise on that" Alice spoke up. "Not like Frank. Frank's wonderful and kind-"

"And you're going to marry him someday" Hestia rolled her eyes. They'd heard that a lot - almost as much as they'd heard Lily's Reasons James Potter Is An Arrogant Toerag rant.

"Do you think he's going to ask?" Alice asked dreamily, Rose biting back a groan - this was why she preferred to spent 99.99% of her time with the Marauders. The last time a bloke tried to ask her out, he'd run off with one elephant ear (courtesy of Peter), bright green popping pimples full of pus (James Potter all over), bright pink hair right down to his toes (from an annoyed Full Moon antsy Remus), and an invisible boot kicking him in the behind quite forcibly (thanks to Sirius). To be fair, Rose hadn't wanted to go out with that pompous prat Lockhart, but the word had spread (much to her fellow Marauders happiness) and that had been that. Rose leaned back and let the girl talk wash over her, and fell asleep before she could stop herself.

* * *

Halloween decorations went up in the Great Hall as the Marauders strolled in for breakfast. Granted, they were a little late, but they'd gotten held up talking to Peeves in the Entrance Hall. The Hogsmeade visit with the rest of the school had gone very well the previous day, James planning various distractions while Remus and Peter had bought the things they'd need for the prank. It was subtle this prank, but well suited to the occasion. McGonagall looked suspiciously at them as they made a show of looking around and humming loudly before grabbing a stack of toast (and bacon for Sirius) and heading out into the frosty grounds. James hexed Snape with a rapid toenail growing curse as they walked by, looking rather pleased with himself as they made their way over to their spot - the beech tree by the Lake. Peter bit his lip, looking nervously at the assembled Marauders. "Are we really going to do this?" Sirius looked at him like he was being properly dense.

"Yes." Peter swallowed and looked from left to right, like one of the others would rescue him.

"But-"

"Wormtail, we agreed" James cut in gently, but firmly. That was his reasonable quidditch captain tone. "If a war is coming, we have to know how to defend ourselves. And what better time than now out on these beautiful grounds with not a soul in sight?"

"If I may, Prongs" Remus began, rubbing his cold arms. "That could be because no one else is balmy enough to be out here in this freezing wind."

"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart" James quoted, raising his eyebrows in emphasis at Remus.

"I'm going to take a dip in the Black Lake" Sirius announced as if he hadn't just heard the conversation that had just taken place.

"Why in the name of the holy mother of Merlin would you do that?" Remus demanded, chattering his teeth. Sirius smirked at him.

"It's this heating charm I've got, it's a bit warm."

"Heating charm?" Remus questioned, slightly hysterically. "Heating charm?!" He gave a wordless yell of outrage. Rose, nice and toasty inside her own heated bubble (courtesy of Sirius) tried unsuccessfully to hide a grin.

"I think you've broken Moony."

"Exactly" Remus agreed, nodding wildly. "One of these days, I'm going to crack, murder you all in your sleep and then get admitted to St Mungo's. And then you'll all see."

"Fear not, dear Rosebud" Sirius winked, eyes twinkling. "If he was going to crack and go to St Mungo's, like he so melodramatically insists, he would've already done it by now."

"Really?" Honest to Godric, Remus actually looked upset about it.

"Yep" James smirked, far too chipper about it for his own good. "We figured the danger zone was third year; we were right terrors in third year, rotten to anything that moved. But you passed with flying colours, so no need to worry, Moony."

"Right" Remus nodded, drawing his wand in readiness. "Stand and deliver."

"Moony's a highwayman for Halloween!" Peter's delighted yell and giggle got him hit with Tarantellegra (the dancing leg curse) first. Sirius doubled over laughing at him, tears of mirth forming in his grey eyes. James used his distraction to trip him gently to the ground, smirking and bowing in that way that was typical to the Marauders. Sirius, however, got to his feet, looked at his wand and then tackled James to the ground, using magic to keep James immobilised while he wrote rude words on his forehead.

"I dub thee, Reepicheep" Sirius announced, a cheeky grin brightening his features.

"Are you concussed?" James spluttered, Remus now the one doubled over in hysterical laughter, muttering Reepicheep to himself and giggling again. Clearly the werewolf knew his children's literature.

"He's an incessantly talking mouse from the Chronicles of Narnia" Rose informed a now red-faced James.

"And how in the name of Merlin's sainted hippogriff did you know that, Pads?" James demanded, dusting his clothes off. Sirius just smirked and tapped his nose. James frowned at him but pushed himself to his feet and got into his ready stance. The two without doubt knew each other the best, the spells flying almost without warning or reason. Rose would've been more in awe of their talents, but she was busy stuck in the middle of a three-way duel with Remus and Peter.

"Duck, Pete. Move your feet" Remus coached patiently, Rose giving him a glare. How dare he take sides against her? She narrowed her eyes, sending a full body bind spell and a disarming spell in quick succession. Peter blocked the expelliarmus spell, only to topple over, completely frozen. Remus heaved a gusty sigh, running a hand quickly through his hair. He looked almost mournful as he raised his wand in readiness. "So be it."

"So dramatic" Rose tutted, Sirius and James running by in their duel. Remus was her best friend, her James to Sirius and visa versa. She knew him very well, just as he knew her. And that made for a very entertaining, interesting duel. At least that was until Remus tripped over a still-prone Peter and toppled into the Black Lake, arms windmilling around like a complete berk. Rose grimaced and unfroze Peter, who started apologising profusely, while James and Sirius pointed and started laughing hysterically. All fun and games was fine, until Remus emerged from the Lake, dripping wet and spitting mad. Remus when he was in a mood was difficult; when he was furious, it was like Sirius and James, run. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 galleons, just run. And that, was just what they did.

The Marauders were not, no matter what anyone else thought, hiding in a disused staffroom off the Charms corridor. It was a strategic retreat and cooling off period, not running and hiding. Good tactics, really. Rose looked up from the crossword she was filling in with the rest of them, to catch James looking worriedly at the door. "Forget tonight's prank, Moony is actually going to kill us."

"Did you see that little vein on his forehead?" Peter asked in what passed for morbid curiosity.

"Eleven down; Hobgoblin" Sirius announced, tinkling away at the piano tucked into a corner of the room. James gave him a glare that doubted his sanity.

"We have bigger problems than finishing the Prophet crossword, Sirius." Sirius' grey eyes twinkled and he began to play a familiar tune on the piano.

"Yesterday, all our troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay-"

"Cute, Pads" James rolled his eyes, breaking the spell Sirius had cast with his voice. Rose looked at the two of them, remembering an evening back in their third year. The Marauder Look of Dawning Brilliance sparkled in her eyes, James and Sirius looking rather wearily at her.

"I have an idea."

"Yes, we can see that, Rosie" James informed her carefully. "This won't be like that time you thought it would be funny to put super glue in all the Slytherin shampoo bottles and got Pads and I in trouble for it?" Rose let her mouth drop open in offense.

"You insulted Glam Wrock!"

"And we never did it again" Sirius stepped in calmly. "But this idea of yours won't be like the time you changed all the anti-pimple cream in the Hospital Wing with wart enhancers when Diggory was being a prat, will it?" Rose clutched her heart dramatically.

"You wound me, Good Sir!" Sirius did a slight bow from his piano seat.

"Forgive me, my Lady."

"Enough you two" Peter groaned, an odd expression of squeamishness on his face.

"About my idea" Rose trailed off hopefully.

"No!" James shook his head so fast, she thought his glasses might fly off. Rose turned her best pleading gaze on Sirius, who looked torn.

"It might help Remus not be angry" she said plaintively. They crumbled like a wet digestive.

"If we get royally embarrassed, you're going to have to pay for it, Astra" James muttered, only to have Sirius give him a glare.

"Since when do you care about embarrassment? Evans yells at you about three times a week."

"Yeah, but-"

"What about the time that Lily called you a thick troll?" Rose interrupted innocently.

"That was yesterday" Peter grinned widely, James glaring and pushing him back onto the couch.

"You four chickens" Remus announced from the doorway, looking only mildly annoyed.

"Remmy!" Rose thought she saw Sirius' jaw twitch, but he was smirking when she looked again, so she must've been imaging things.

"I'm not angry anymore" Remus sighed heavily. "I talked to Lily."

"Astra has had an idea" James informed the werewolf in despair.

"And we agreed" Peter added, James glaring at him again.

"So we did" Sirius agreed, smiling tightly. "But we're still waiting to hear it, Rosebud." She just smirked at them like the Marauder she was. James groaned aloud.

"Bloody Merlin."

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**Thanks for reading!**

**Reviews make Sirius happy**


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all! Another chapter finished!**

**This one's building up to some actual action! Unfortunately I am not sure what my posting schedule will be like as I'm now heading into my University exam season.**

**Good news is that I**** have another 13 or so chapters written, but posting it might be difficult. Just a heads up.**

**But, enjoy this chapter!**

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On the Wednesday following Halloween (which had been another rousing success, largely thanks to the skeleton band and their reenactment of the Rocky Horror Picture Show), the Marauders were nowhere to be found. Remus left behind a stack of books and half-finished essays (worrisome in and of itself - he never left unfinished essays), and the dorm was a cut above it's usual mess. They hadn't turned up for breakfast, and their absence was suspicious in the first class of the day, their favourite; Transfiguration. As the lesson reached midway through, the One-Eyed Witch's statue opened, the five Marauders slipping through. The voice of reason spoke up as they trudged through the tunnel. "This is a horrible idea. We're going to get caught and expelled."

"Don't ruin the day, Moony" James sang, giving him a significant look. Remus threw his hands in the air and looked like he was giving serious consideration to banging his head off the tunnel wall. Peter grinned widely at them all, looking the most excited out of the group - but he was always the most excitable, the aftermath of the Defense Against The Dark Arts OWL confirmed that much for them . Rose trailed after them in silence, busy watching Sirius - who today was happier and lighter than she had seen him in ages. He held himself taller, loped along with an easy grace in his stride, and smiled for no reason at all. James seemed to share his joy and ease, a twinkle taking up residence in his hazel eyes. The black haired Marauders started to sing the Puddlemere United quidditch team anthem; Beat Back Those Bludgers Boys, And Chuck That Quaffle Here.

"You'll have that racket heard in Honeydukes" Rose remarked playfully, after yelling Puddlemere United as loud as she could. Who said team pride was dead? Usually Peter after another spectacular loss.

"You're one to talk, Rosie" the resident rat animagus grinned, a bag of Fudge Flies open in his hand.

"You finally realised that she can talk?" Sirius wiped a tear from his eye. "I never thought this day would come. I'm so proud."

"Sod off, Padfoot" Peter scowled, Sirius tutting and shaking his head.

"Ah-ah-ah. You can't say that. You have to be nice. It's my day."

"And we're morally obligated to hex you into a Flobberworm if you do anything to ruin said day" James informed him seriously. Rose caught Remus' eye and shook her head, groaning at the morons they were friends with.

"I saw that, Astra."

"Very perceptive of you" Rose teased, laughing as Sirius made a playful attempt to swat at her.

"That's it" Sirius mock-growled, chasing them all down the tunnel towards the Honeydukes sweetshop.

Madame Rosmerta raised her eyebrows as the Marauders ran into her establishment, laughing and gasping for breath, having chased each other clear across Hogsmeade. "Beat you!" James crowed, his heavy breaths fogging his John Lennon glasses. Sirius glared and pushed him onto the floor, promptly crossing to the bar with a boyish grin. James dusted himself off and followed Sirius to the bar with dignity. "Four butterbeers and a cherry syrup please, Rosmerta my dearest."

"You're such a flirt, Sirius Black" Rosmerta told him, collecting the relevant bottles from under the bar. His grin rivaled the sun for brilliance.

"Ta."

"I'm not sure that was supposed to be a compliment, Pads" James grinned, consulting his list with a serious expression. "Wormtail, you and Moony go get the you-know-what's, Astra we need you to go and get the Dr Filibusters ."

"So I get shafted with the heavy lifting?" Rose playfully glared and shook her head. "I see how it is."

"Shame on you, Prongs" Sirius actually glared, just like James had counted on. "I'll come with you, Rosebud."

"Thank you, Siri" she smiled happily, sticking her tongue out at James. "At least one of you is a gentleman."

"You want me to be a Marauder and a gentleman?" James looked horrified at the prospect. Rose smiled angelically at him.

"Sirius is."

"She's got you there, Prongs" Remus remarked, swirling his butterbeer bottle absently.

"Ah, but only insofar as Padfoots behaviour can be classified as gentlemanly" Peter pointed out rationally. He then shuddered and drained his butterbeer. "Merlin, I'm turning into you, Moony."

"That's not a bad thing" Remus muttered, rolling his eyes. "You see what you two have done?" The werewolf pointed at James and Sirius. "You've made him see reasonableness as a cardinal sin." James widened his eyes in confusion.

"You mean it's not?" Sirius let out a bark of laughter, very much like his animagus form.

"Sod off, Prongs" Remus glared, a smile twitching at his lips. "And you, Padfoot" he pointed a finger at the grey eyed Marauder. "I'm only going to let that slide because this is your day." Sirius inclined his head.

"Thank you, oh merciful Moony" Sirius' voice was all sincerity - his eyes, on the other hand, were all mischief. James coughed suddenly, nodding towards Sirius in the middle of his coughing fit. Rose got the message; time for Operation Distraction (or, as James had dubbed it, Operation Get Padfoot the Salazar Away From The Broomsticks So He Doesn't Suss Out What We're Doing And Ruin The Surprise - and so help me, Wormtail if you've blabbed). Rose laughed quietly to herself, then got to her feet and held her hand out to Sirius.

"Mr Padfoot, will you accompany me on a desperate quest to Zonko's?"

"My dear Lady Astra" Sirius replied dramatically. "There are few so brave, daring and chivalrous as I." Remus snorted butterbeer through his nose, spluttering despite Sirius' unimpressed glare. "I will face Snakes, vanquish mighty foes-"

"Sweet Merlin" James muttered, rolling his eyes. The effect was actually quite psychedelic through his glasses.

"- lie to the fearsome McGonagall, and furthermore yes I will accompany you in your daring quest into the far off land of Zonko's."

"You're a kook" Rose giggled, reveling in the smile that lit up Sirius' handsome face.

"Yes, but my dear Rosebud, you stay with us, so you've got to be pretty kooky too."

"You quoted Bowie at me" Rose smiled, absurdly pleased. Sirius shrugged like it wasn't a big thing.

"For you, Rosebud, I'd quote Girl Wrock." James shot Sirius a look, but Rose didn't notice, she was too busy ignoring the stupid fluttering in her chest at the honesty in his voice.

"Zonko's" Peter interrupted, wilting back into his seat at the glare Sirius gave him. Rose pulled her cloak back on, grinning at Sirius as he held the door for her. James gave her a pointed look, likely to remind her of her part in all of this, and Sirius gleefully closed the door on his face.

"So" Sirius began slowly as they walked along the oddly quiet street. "Are we to Zonko's?"

"Are we in a hurry?" Rose asked, slowing to a more languid pace.

"Not that I'm aware of" Sirius replied, rolling his left shoulder as if it were causing him pain. Rose quickly turned to him, concern bright in her eyes.

"Siri?"

"McKinnon packs a punch" he laughed depreciatingly. "I, uh, had a talk with James and ended up breaking off the, er-" Sirius seemed to cast around for words.

"Mutual arrangement?" Rose suggested helpfully .

"Exactly" her companion agreed carefully. "That we had together. I don't think she took too kindly to the one or two truths I might have shared."

"If you mentioned Benjy Fenwick, then you're a braver Gryffindor than I." Sirius threw back his head and laughed.

"Which was when she dislocated my shoulder" he confided, rolling the affected appendage again. "Never get involved casually Rosebud, it's just too much trouble."

"You know what they say, Siri" Rose smiled, slipping her hand into his. "To err is human, to be a Marauder Divine."

"Moony would say that you got the quote wrong" Sirius chuckled, the sparkle back in his eyes.

"Moony isn't here" Rose reminded him gently. "And I don't know why you always bring him up." She darted ahead, making a beeline for Honeydukes before Sirius caught up and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest.

"More Chocoballs?" Rose pouted at him, knowing he was going to laugh at her, and it wasn't fair.

"I put them away for safekeeping, and then can never find them again." Sirius did laugh, but he stopped quickly the moment she looked upset.

"Oh Rosebud." There was an odd intensity in his eyes, he opened his mouth, and James, Peter and Remus came barrelling around the corner.

Fear made James's eyes pop wildly, his hair even messier than usual. "Pads, Death Eaters. Here." A string of curses fell from Sirius' lips, anger burning in his eyes. They'd barely begun their duelling practice, they were good, but were they good enough to face Death Eaters? Rose didn't know. She just didn't know. Sirius crooked a finger under her chin.

"We've got this, Rosebud. We can handle it." Grey eyes focused over her shoulder. "Right, Prongs?"

"No doubt about it" James confirmed easily, all Marauder confidence. "We saw them coming in from the Shack, they're about to get past the wards, then we're up." It wasn't something they'd planned for, but the leader in James came out just when they needed him to. "Wormtail, go to the castle, tell them we need reinforcements. Tell McGonagall or Dumbledore that we know we're in trouble, but we'll hold them off until help can arrive. After all, everyone knows you come to Hogsmeade for safety, not because you can handle yourself in a duel." James clapped him on the shoulder. "We're relying on you, Pete ." Peter nodded and ran back towards the forest, where the dead tree end of the Fourth Corridor Mirror Passage came out. James took an unsteady breath, preparing as they all were for what was to come; battle. "We'll go with strengths. Pads, you're with me. We'll be able to work fast and hopefully we'll be targeted more because we're us." Hazel eyes fixed on Remus and Rose. "You two stay on the outskirts initially, then do your stuff. We know what we're doing. There's no need for heroics; just hold them off long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Message patronus if you need help." He clapped his hands. "Marauders out!"

Rose forced down the bile from her throat as Sirius and James ran off, Remus quickly squeezing her hand in reassurance. There wasn't time for goodbyes or good-lucks, but Rose still longed to have been even briefly safe in Sirius' arms. She shook herself, there was no time for regrets or sentimentality, not now that war had finally reached their Haven. They set off in the opposite direction from the black haired duo, wands out and at the ready. Remus seemed to know where he was going, a determined stance to his stride and power in his eyes. This was his werewolf's territory; this was where their pack roamed, and Rose recognised the determination to protect it in his eyes. "So, how expelled are we, do you think?" Rose asked, trying to diffuse her own tension.

"Our trunks are packing as we speak" Remus quipped, his tone slightly too full of bravado. "But, rather dismissed than dead." Rose nodded shakily, she was sixteen for Merlin's sake, and yet somehow she still felt safe in the knowledge that they were all still together and would be till the end. A glorious silver stag materialised in front of them, James's voice coming through.

"They're here, be ready." And so it began.

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**Next Chapter... Death Eaters in Hogsmeade.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all! I'm back again, fresh from procrastinating on studying!**

**The good news is, this chapter is up and ready for you all!**

**Bad news... Death Eaters are in Hogsmeade, and Bellatrix Lestrange is the ringleader. But the Marauders are there to meet her. What could possibly go wrong?**

**Anyway... Please enjoy.**

* * *

A jet of purple light split the air, hissing as it passed. Glass shattered and rained down on them, Remus dragging Rose behind the building that was once a very nice bakery. It had been, of course, until the war started and the owner went into hiding; it was a pity, their cheesecake was second to none. She stumbled, pain lancing down her arm as Remus' werewolf strength compensated for her downward momentum. She hissed in pain, rubbing the spot gently; that was going to bruise. Remus fired a non-verbal intestinal-expelling curse (one of the more creative listed in the book James charmed out of the Restricted Section), and huffed out a laugh. "And to think, I used to like the colour purple."

"My eyes are violet" Rose reminded him, happy to keep up the banter - it was keeping them sane. Another curse rebounded above their heads, raining tiles upon them. Rose transfigured them into star-shaped glitter (she was the best in the year at Astronomy) and glanced across at Remus. He had a cut over his cheekbone that bled sluggishly, but his eyes were alive, and he looked confident in himself for the first time in years. "How many is that?"

"About six" Remus muttered, leaning back against the brick. "Nobody too difficult, just tricky to hit." He paled as another thought came to him. "Or, they're playing with us. Seeing our strengths, feeling us out."

"Least they could do is buy us a drink first" Rose smirked, hearing Sirius in the words. "We're not _that_ easy."

"I should hope not" Remus agreed, Rose leaning over to send her own spell _(incendio;_ she liked fire - it had personality, and reminded her of lazy winter nights with the Marauders by the fireplace at the castle or at the Manor) at the Death Eaters. Remus pursed his lips in disapproval, it made him look oddly like McGonagall. And that was just a scary thought all around.

"Fire? Really Rosie? We have to shop here, you know."

"And you don't think they're counting on our sentimentally for this village?" Rose demanded fiercely. "They can use whatever spells they like. We can't use dark magic, but we shouldn't be afraid to use any spell in our arsenal." Remus looked down guiltily.

"I know, but the Wolf doesn't like people destroying its territory." Rose squeezed his arm reassuringly, and saw a reflection of Hogwarts in a window.

"What the Salazar is keeping Peter?"

"We're the Marauders" Remus reminded her, firing three curses in quick succession. "Our credibility isn't exactly legendary. They might think it's all just a prank in rather poor taste."

"Wonderful" Rose snarked. "So they're up there, doubting our credibility, and we're stuck here in the worst Godric forsaken reenactment of the Gunfight at the OK Corral in wizarding history!" She groaned in frustration and fired hexes at the Death Eaters.

"Gunfight at the OK Corral?" Remus queried, twirling his wand in a complicated arrangement - glass shards transformed into daggers and flew at their enemy.

"Muggle Western event" Rose dismissed casually. "It's not important right now. I'll lend you a history book when we get back." She ran a hand through her messy red hair and sighed. "Always assuming that we actually do get back."

"Sirius would yell at you just for thinking that statement" Remus remarked, with just enough force behind his statement to make it sink in. "Positive thoughts. We're going to make it out of this."

"Of course we will" Rose agreed, the lie ashes in her mouth. Remus gave her a look but didn't press it, refocusing on the battle at hand.

* * *

The wall above them exploded, Rose working to keep a shield charm up (and direct the shrapnel fragments elsewhere) while Remus returned fire. Her efforts weren't entirely successful; a chunk of brick hit her shoulder blade (magical Merlin in Avalon did that hurt), and would likely affect her range of motion. But Remus wasn't hurt, so she counted it as a win. Remus glanced at her, a question in his darker than they appeared eyes. Rose shook her head, now wasn't the time for heroics. A raised eyebrow and pointed glance to the rubble around them, gave Remus' answer succinctly; they were running out of time and options. His plan was still idiotic though. Facing them head on, they'd never survive the assault. Then again, Rose glanced over towards the buildings the Death Eaters camped behind, there was something to be said for unpredictability, and Marauders were nothing if not unpredictable. "Do you honestly believe we can do this, Rem?"

"As James said; without the shadow of a doubt, Rosie."

"I'm tired of hiding, Remus" she told him casually.

"Me too, Astra" Remus agreed, dusting off his sky blue jumper. He looked almost resigned, much as he had during their day after Halloween strategy meeting. "I take it we're going with the best defence is a good offence approach?" His eyes twinkled with mirth.

"You know it's what the others are doing" Rose grinned, taking a deep breath before running out into the line of fire, Remus at her side just as it should be.

Fire blazed from Tomes and Scrolls (Remus' second favourite Hogsmeade shop, his third favourite shop ever), Rose grinning as the werewolf swore, growled and ran after the dickhead responsible. Sadly, it was only after he was out of sight that she realised that she was all alone now, and that she really should've followed him. Icy fingers at the back of her neck prickled along her skin, Full Moon senses working overtime. It was the creeping dread of unfriendly eyes; she was being watched. Using quick, sweeping glances and peripherals, Rose cataloged the street. She remembered James displaying the technique in quidditch training, gleeful that his auror uncle had shown him something that was multipurpose; useful for quidditch, pranking, and duelling. A surge of anger crawled through her bloodstream; she didn't like feeling unsafe in Hogsmeade, the Marauders had been coming since their second year, and had never felt like they didn't belong. Her wand was a comfortable weight in her hand, nearly as long as Sirius' cedar and aspen wand, and made of Rowan and unicorn tail hair (an irony in and of itself). A jet of red light whizzed past her head, forcing her to take a step back and raise a sloppy shield. One more hit and it crumbled, a loud almost gleeful cackling filling the air. The sound was just deranged enough to send shivers down her spine - in the bad way. Rose took another, automatic step back (the cackling was freaking her out), and wished for the first time that she hadn't left her cloak back in the nearest alley. Cold wind danced along her face, sending shivers though her body, and her red-and-black plaid shirt and jeans just weren't cutting it. "I'll take the mudblood" a gleeful female voice called out. "You find the blood traitors. I won't be long." The owner of the voice stepped out onto the street, and Rose felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. Her opponent was a stunning black haired woman with heavy-lidded dark blue eyes as cold as ice, black makeup, and black robes that were clearly custom made. She had the hereditary, effortless good-looks that Rose knew all too well. Besides,they had met in Diagonal Alley that summer.

"Aren't you a little too old for school, Bellatrix?" Rose smirked, keeping a shield up just in case. Bellatrix Black Lestrange was, according to Sirius, insane and devoted to Voldemort; with her record, Rose didn't stand a chance against her. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. She was a Marauder, and they went out fighting - she wasn't going to make it easy on Bellatrix.

"You have me at a disadvantage" Bellatrix pouted, as if they were merely having a discussion in the street. "You know who I am, but I do not know you."

"It's only fair that you know who you're going to be beaten by" Rose conceded, infusing her words with every ounce of confidence she had left. "You are Bellatrix Lestrange, deranged cousin of Sirius Black. I, am Rose Evans, Marauder and muggle born." Rose subtly readjusted her grip on her wand. "Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, shall we get straight into the unpleasantries?"

"Ah!" Bellatrix clapped in a horrific imitation of delight. "The little mudblood wants to play! Pity my blood traitor of a cousin never told you I play to win."

"The war is already won, by us" Rose smirked, idly wondering when Bellatrix was going to tire of their game. "No matter how long you fight, nor how many battles you win; we're going to win in the end, because we have men like Dumbledore, and James Potter, and Sirius Black. Dumbledore may seem like a senile old fool, but he knows one thing for sure; love will always win over hatred. You and your psychopathic arsehole of a cult leader, all you spread is hatred - but, as a great band once said, all you need is love." Rose aimed a quick immobilisation spell at Bellatrix, and ducked away from the retaliatory curse, quickly getting into the rush of a life and death battle. Her eyes flickered briefly up to the looming spectre of Hogwarts Castle. "Hurry up, Peter."

Bellatrix Black had a reputation at Hogwarts and beyond for incredible beauty and incredible cruelty. Clearly somewhere along the line, her skill at duelling was left out. Rose wished that Sirius had given them some sort of warning about it, but maybe he had and Rose had just blocked it out; she never seemed to want to think about what that deranged family had put Sirius through. Heat burned through the crisp Autumn air in Hogsmeade, a red trail burnt into the side of Schrivenschafts. Rose winced apologetically; Lily loved that shop. "Destroying public property really isn't the best way to restore order to the wizarding world, Bellatrix" Rose called, crouching behind a low wall. It wasn't the best place to hide, but she needed the breather. Another bolt of shocking yellow was her only reply. "The art of conversation really is lost on these people" Rose muttered, winking at a cat perched nearby. She was losing it, talking to a cat - Sirius would never stand the betrayal. With a wry shake of her head, and an absent wish for her friends to be all right, Rose rolled to her feet (flamboyant touches were in her purview as a Marauder) and sent a barrage of curses at Bellatrix that finally made the witch stumble.

"The little mudblood finally wants to play" Bellatrix cooed, the sound at odds with the spark of insanity in her eyes. Rose rolled her eyes, getting how annoying the chatter was (when the Marauders weren't doing it). She shot a silencing charm at the Death Eater, grinning when it hit.

"Ten points to me" Rose muttered, ducking back from the furious barrage Bellatrix shot back at her. Modestly, Rose was a fairly good duellist, and her quidditch reflexes were hammered into her by James Potter himself, so she was able to hold her own, albeit temporarily.

Step, spell, duck, parry, shield, curse, repeat. Over and over again, Rose was slowly forced backwards, towards the small square in the middle of the village. She muttered a curse of the swear word variety as she poorly deflected an explosion curse into the window of the post office. Owl shrieks split the air, Rose paying the price for her distraction. She went flying arse over teakettle (as James once memorably said) and hit the cobblestones hard. She blinked spots from her vision, her back screaming in protest as she struggled back to her feet. Every muscle burned - she really had to get James to organise more training sessions, and not take Sirius' side in telling him to go do things anatomically impossible with himself. _"Ow"_ she said wholeheartedly, eyes peeled for Bellatrix.

"Just lie back and stop fighting" Bellatrix advised . "I don't play with my food for that long. Ask my cousin."

"What's for dinner?" Rose quipped, forcing nonchalance into her posture. "I don't know about you, but I could go for some chicken, maybe a little shepherds pie. Ooh, French fries, do you have any of those?"

"The mudblood sounds like my cousin-"

"You flatter me" Rose smirked, every inch a Marauder. There was danger in Bellatrix's eyes, and Rose could see her patience running out. Rose made a twirling motion with her wand, a wall of air knocking Bellatrix straight into the wall of the Three Broomsticks. Rose sent a silent apology to Rosmerta, throat dry as she swallowed down a bolt of dread. Sirius had told her once not to piss off Bellatrix; he said it was the last thing anybody ever did. And, judging by the fire in her eyes , Rose has just pissed off Sirius' insane cousin. Bellatrix's custom black robes were torn and singed (Rose did feel momentarily absurdly pleased about that), hatred poured off her in waves. Dust drifted around her like an aura, giving her an ethereal quality. Rose drew a deep breath in through her nose, calming and giving herself one last moment of peace. Their wands raised and they cast as one. _"Protego!"_ It was ineffective, but it was the only spell she could use. Unfortunately , there was no shield that could stop Bellatrix's curse.

_"Crucio!"_

* * *

Double Transfiguration with McGonagall was usually the one class you could always count on the Marauders (all five of them) attending. The theories on why this happened ranged from fear of McGonagall's Thin Lips of Doom, to hero worship, to not wanting to disappoint the one teacher in school who actually favoured and turned a blind eye to the Marauders. At first, Lily wasn't that worried about her sister and her friends (immature and rule-breaking though they were) missing class. She knew what today was, and there were some days that the Marauders just never bothered turning up to class. Lily did not approve, not one bit. Her younger twin had always been a bit unruly and mischievous, but the Marauders had exacerbated that trait until her sister was nearly unrecognisable. The sad thing was that they made Rose happy; happy in a way Lily and her compulsive rule-keeping and studiousness never had. From the first moment Tuney had called them freaks, Rose had been different - she had taken that difference and embraced it, embraced it right into the arms of James 'Egotistical Toerag' Potter and Sirius 'Rules are made to be broken' Black. Poor Remus and Peter just got caught up in their madness. Lily scoffed aloud, nearly snapping her quill, and splattering Marlene with drops of emerald ink from her hurried notes on their upcoming Arithmancy essay. There were only two things that Lily would or could ever think well of the Marauders about; standing by Remus even though they knew of his lycanthropy, and the way they loved her sister like family - she even had one of those stupid Marauder nicknames. McGonagall entered the classroom, lips thinning at the obvious cluster of unoccupied desks near Frank and Benjy. The Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress sighed, glanced worriedly at the door and began to lecture.

One gruelling hour into learning the basics of human to animal transfiguration, Lily felt a rock drop into her stomach. It was a feeling she knew all too well whenever her sister was getting into danger with the Marauders. She pushed away the dread of what Potter and Black had gotten Rose into now, and refocused on the lesson. The weight increased and increased until it felt like an anvil in her stomach, and she felt a burning in the back of her throat. Her hand rose into the air of its own accord, the classroom door slamming open with a reverberating _bang._ A leather jacketed, torn jeaned Peter Pettigrew tumbled in, leaves caught in his hair, and bruises forming on his cheek bone. Lily was on her feet, watching as Peter doubled over, held up a hand and gasped for breath. "I- message" he panted, looking seconds from passing out. "James Potter. Hogsmeade. Death Eaters. Marauders holding them off. Need help. Sent me. _Help."_ Lily processed the words and heard nothing but the blood rushing in her ears; Death Eaters in Hogsmeade.

"Calm down, Pettigrew" McGonagall instructed calmly, voice easily cutting through the babbling in the classroom. "What do you mean Death Eaters in Hogsmeade? How do you know?"

"The prank isn't funny" Lily snapped, thanking Merlin for the Professor's clear thinking. Peter, timid Peter, glared at her.

"It's not a prank, Evans" he snapped. "And, Professor, the how isn't important right now. What is, is that my friends need backup now, and we're wasting time." Lily felt pain shoot through her body, and knew instinctively that Peter wasn't lying for once. Her sister was in trouble.

"Where was she?" Lily's tone left no doubt as to who she was meaning. Peter looked at her curiously, but didn't mention it.

"Outside Honeydukes. Prongs, er, James and Sirius and Remus were with her."

"Right." Lily nodded, grabbed Peter's arm and marched him straight out of the classroom, ignoring McGonagall's shouts for them to come back.

Peter led the way through a corridor Lily didn't even know about (and promptly forgot existed) and they were suddenly blinking in the sunlight. Lily had never been much for exploring Hogsmeade, instead spending her time in Tomes and Scrolls, Schrienschafts, or the Broomsticks, but she vaguely recognised the forest up by the Shrieking Shack. "Where to now?" Peter looked at her and pointed, the village was clearly under attack. Smoke rose in plumes from what looked like Tomes and Scrolls, owls flew about like headless chickens, and Lily swore that she could see jets of light coming from near Madame Puddifoots teashop. Whoever was fighting was more than holding their own. Peter seemed to have a mental map of the village, leading them safely down into the midst of the fighting. She could've sworn she saw Remus dance by, wand moving fiercely in a duel with two masked wizards in black. Peter put a finger to his lips, seeing something that Lily had missed; Remus was being herded to the village square. Lily would bet galleons that the others were as well. But why? It didn't make any sense. Lily turned to the quietest Marauder, fire burning in her emerald eyes. "Can you take me to the village square - without anyone seeing?"

"I'm a _Marauder"_ Peter replied, looking like himself for the first time. "It's what we do. Follow me." Peter gave her a boost up onto a roof (because apparently Death Eaters didn't look up high), heaving himself up as well. They crouched there for a moment, spying Black (who looked like he'd gone ten rounds with Cassius Clay and then got beat up by a biker gang) limping forward while looking into a mirror (didn't he have better things to do than check his appearance?). All was still for a microsecond, the tiniest sliver of time, even Hogsmeade held its breath, and then the worst sound Lily had ever heard split the air. A scream of unendurable agony, ripped from deep within, and it didn't stop. Lily glanced at Peter, hoping that she was imagining things, but his blue eyes were fixed on Black - and Black terrified her. Even from a distance, Lily could see his grey eyes harden with anger and fear, he looked like a man seconds away from killing - he knew what was going on. Another scream echoed around the village, worse than the first, and Black took off, sprinting as if he hadn't just been barely standing seconds earlier. James tore past too, his eyes wild and moving with a frenzy that spoke of fear. Peter had his hands over his ears, tears in his eyes, and was muttering incoherently. Lily didn't wait for him to tell her what was going on; for the first time since the word 'freak', she listened to her instincts, and ran after Black and Potter - towards that horrible sound.

* * *

There was one second of blissful, wonderful shock. A sweet nothingness. Then there was nothing but pain. Unendurable, unimaginable pain. Never ending, never stopping. Millions of knives, needles, red hot pokers and ice cold spikes driving into every cell of her body, every organ, every follicle, every bit. Her throat tore with the screams driven from her lungs as if by the very hounds of hell, blood beaded at the corners of her lips, and tears burned wet trails down dirty cheeks, but she felt none of it; nothing but the ceaseless pain. If it dulled, it only returned stronger than ever before, drawing louder screams and more agony. Her sanity was like an elastic band stretching further with every second that passed. Sooner or later, it was going to snap, and fly off in a direction she could never follow. She was Rose Evans, a Marauder and a bloody unicorn animagus for Merlin's sake, that had to count for something. Her mind reached out for the good memories, for the Marauders, but there was still nothing but the pain. It felt like her insides were simultaneously melting, freezing and boiling in acid. And it _hurt,_ Godric did it hurt; she just wanted it to stop. Fresher, sharper pain hit, accompanied by Bellatrix's sneering voice. Her blood rushed and pounded in her ears, but the torment stopped. A distant yell hurt her already abused ears, pain still throbbing through her. She forced her eyes open, seeing three furious blurs, and a red blur further behind. She wanted to speak, to see if her eyes were telling her the truth, but she saw a flash of purple cloth, the word Dumbledore sprang to mind, there was a wave of heat. Her vision tunnelled, noise howled in her ears, and then... Nothing.

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**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note:**

**Hi all!**

**This one is a long chapter, but it kinda got away with me. I find this story pretty much runs away from me.**

**As ever, please enjoy!**

* * *

Heaven smelled weird. That was the first coherent thought Rose Evans was capable of. She hadn't even opened her eyes, but it was Marauders prerogative. The smell was cloying and oddly sweet, like chocolate and antiseptic. Like the Hospital Wing after a good haul of Get Well Soon sweets. All this smell of chocolate was making her hungry, so she tried to move; tried being the operative word. Fire burned along every nerve she'd tried to move, drawing a startled (and oddly distant) whimper to her lips. Merlin and Godric above, that hurt. With the pain came a welcome realisation; pain equals still being alive. That simple mental equation brought her back to near consciousness. Now, she could hear things, voices, muttering (or was that yelling) at her. The voices turned to one, such a lovely voice really - calm and wonderful, safe. Something made her want to listen to it. She wanted to listen to it, and that snapped her back into it, consciousness, reality. Waves of pain hit as her eyes flew open, her heart beating erratically, panic cresting and building. "Rosebud, it's okay. We're safe. You're safe." The words were repeated over and over again. It was the voice, the wonderful safe voice; Sirius.

"Siri?" Rose rasped, throat burning like every vibration was sandpaper. Her voice was barely audible, even to her ears, but she saw relief spark in grey eyes she knew so well - although she didn't remember them ever looking so tired.

"Rosebud." That simple word, her name in a way, sealed the reality. She was safe. It was over. Sirius gently, oh so gently, pulled her against his chest. It hurt like fresh torture, but his heart beat solidly against her palm, calming the pain with solid reassurance. He lowered her gently back onto the bland bed (she already missed her warm, Gryffindor-coloured bedspread) and disappeared from her vision. "Pommers!" A clamour of voices yelled out to Sirius, demanding answers from him. James threatened ritualistic disembowelment by McGonagall, Remus threatened the hair, Peter just yelled for an answer, and Lily promised to charm all his books to play Glam Wrock. Sirius appeared back in her limited field of vision, eyes sparkling in a way they hadn't been before. His eyebrows raised in a way she knew meant 'may I?', Rose couldn't help but twitch a smile in agreement. His smirk grew wider. "Shut up!" Sirius barked, silence immediately following his words. "Prongs, Minnie is already a step away from ritualistically disemboweling us. So, as an incentive, not really working. Moony, touch the hair, I'll hide all your chocolate. And I mean it. Wormy, she's only just woken up, give us a moment, Merlin. And Lilykins, I quite like Glam Wrock, so where's my incentive there?"

"You only like Glam Wrock because you're afraid of Astra" Peter teased, Sirius glowering diagonally to the left.

"He owns Queen albums, lay off" Rose managed, voice sounding rougher than wood.

"Unbelievable" James scoffed, voice full of laughter. "How do you do it, Pads?"

"I went out and I bought the albums, it's not really difficult, Prongs."

"Black, what are you doing out of bed?" Rose jumped at the harsh snap of McGonagall's voice. Then she bit back a curse, pain radiating out like a wave.

"Sitting down, Professor" Sirius replied charmingly. "And may I say you're looking especially stern tonight, Professor?"

"No, you may not, Black. Now, back to bed." Rose could've sworn that she saw a smile twitch at the Thin Lips of Doom.

"If you insist" Sirius winked, bowed dramatically and shuffled over to the bed directly in front of Rose's. She let out a laugh - it hurt, so she stopped, but it was a laugh nonetheless.

* * *

McGonagall coughed to get her attention, Rose suddenly propped up on several pillows (which didn't do anything for the pain). "Miss Evans, I need to ask you a few questions, if you're up to it."

"Professor" Remus began slowly, his voice coming from her right.

"Need I remind you, Mr Lupin, that you all answered them as soon as you woke?"

"But not all of us went through-"

"Rem, Siri, it's fine" Rose murmured, swallowing a purple potion and a mouthful of water. Madame Pomfrey bustled away, glaring pointedly at the Marauders as she passed. They were still clearly among the worst patients ever to grace the Hospital Wing. Rose tried vainly to find a more comfortable position, but gave it up as a bad job, looking up at their Head of House and Transfiguration Professor. "What do you want to know, Professor?"

"What were you doing in Hogsmeade?"

"Enjoying the lovely Autumn day" Rose replied, flippant although it wouldn't help them any. "I wanted to go to Honeydukes, I'd run out of Chocoballs."

"Indeed?" McGonagall raised a dubious eyebrow. "Mr Lupin needed a new quill, Mr Potter is under the impression you all went to help him buy a new set of Puddlemere United quidditch robes, Mr Pettigrew says he went to post a letter-"

"Really, Pete?" James groaned aloud, McGonagall shooting him a deadly glare.

"And Mr Black swears you all went to have a drink at the Broomsticks to celebrate his coming of age." Rose bit back a wince at all her friends doing what she was and taking the blame themselves.

"We're busy people?" James suggested hopefully, wilting back into his pillows at a look from Lily.

"Now that we've got your excuses out of the way, Miss Evans, we can get into it" McGonagall continued, her flinty gaze softening somewhat. "When did you first notice the Death Eaters?"

"It would be at about half past nine, ten o'clock" Rose said, casting her mind back. "Sirius and I were about to go inside Honeydukes so I could get the sweets I was after, and the others came running up to us. They said they were up by the Shack, and had seen the wards chipping away. James then sent Peter back here to get help, which I assume he did, and the four of us split up." Rose glanced across at James opposite Remus, and smiled proudly, remembering how easily he had taken command. "James and Sirius went one way under the theory that they were blood traitors and thus the bigger targets. Rem and I were to go towards the outskirts and do what came naturally. It was a good plan."

"We never should've split up" James muttered guiltily.

"It was a good plan, Prongs" Remus interrupted wearily, like they'd had the conversation many times before.

"And after you split up?" McGonagall asked gently. Rose smiled sadly.

"Then the fun began. We were bottlenecked in by that old bakery near the bookshop - you know the one, best cheesecake in Britain - and we held our own. Our initial plan was to just hold them off long enough for reinforcements to arrive, but it didn't last." Rose would've ran her hand through her hair, if it didn't hurt just to think about. "Rem and I, we're Marauders, and sitting there got old really fast. We realised, well Remus did, that they were playing with us, seeing our strengths. So we went on impulse; we broke cover and faced them head on. We worked out that there were maybe six of them at most, and I guess we got overconfident. One of them set fire to Tomes and Scrolls, and Remus got a bit territorial and chased after him. I would've done it too" she hastened to add at Remus' guilty sigh. "It was my own fault really" Rose said mostly to herself. "I should've followed him." She knew what came next and didn't think she could say it. Saying it would relive it, and Rose wasn't that strong.

"Rose, you don't have to" Lily told her, a green bruise mottling the side of her face. She could read the concern and protectiveness in her sisters face, but Rose just shook her head. She knew the Marauders would have explained, and she felt like she owed it to them to be honest.

"No secrets, right?" James screwed his eyes shut but nodded, Remus just looked guilty but his dark eyes glittered assent, Peter nodded decisively, but it was Sirius that held her gaze. His grey eyes shone with a mixture of pain, guilt (she swore, all her friends had guilt complexes), pride and something she didn't know the name of, but it warmed her all the same.

"No secrets, Rosebud" Sirius agreed warmly, just like the night he ran away from home. She smiled at him, tearing her eyes back to McGonagall.

"I felt like I was being watched, and I spent a moment cursing my own stupidity before I saw her."

"Her?" McGonagall prompted, Sirius' jaw clenching in fury. James shot him a concerned look, the dog animagus shaking his head tightly at whatever unspoken question had just passed between them.

"Bellatrix Lestrange" Rose breathed calmly. Weirdly, she felt no fear saying her name or even thinking of her, not when Sirius was still looking at her, and she felt the support of all the Marauders. "We might have chatted a bit, the usual psychotic murderers/blood purity thing, and then I vaguely remember her sending the others after Remus, and then I started duelling her. She's insane but brilliant at duelling. I'm not half bad myself." A proud grin crossed her face, though it hurt to do so. "I sent her flying into the wall of the Broomsticks."

"Wish I saw that" Sirius said cheerfully, though the mood never reached his sad eyes. McGonagall glanced in his direction, approval shining in her eyes.

"What happened next?" Rose shook her head, her breath catching in her chest. She didn't want to remember, to say. Sirius crossed the ward, sitting backwards in Remus' visitors chair. He was there, giving her the strength to just blurt it all out.

"Bellatrix, she got up, she looked-"

"Psychotic, deranged, demented, pissed off?" Sirius helpfully supplied the adjectives.

"All of the above" Rose admitted, grateful for that brief moment of levity. "I shielded, but it was useless. It was the second Unforgivable. Godric, it hurt." A tear leaked down her cheek, but she didn't notice. "Every time it went, it just came back even worse than before. Over and over and over again, and I couldn't stop it. I tried, but there was nothing I could do, and over and over and-"

"That's enough." Sirius stared down McGonagall, who didn't so much as protest. His fists were clenched, and Remus muttered something that clearly didn't get through. Something felt off about it all, Rose could feel her eyebrows furrowing. "Pete brought your sister into Hogsmeade" Sirius explained, reading the question in her eyes. McGonagall rose to her feet and slipped away, leaving the Hospital Wing empty but for its patients. "She got there just after we did; Prongs, Moony and I."

"What happened after I-" Rose trailed off, but her meaning was obvious.

"Those three idiots took on Bellatrix Lestrange" Lily announced, seemingly torn between disapproval and awe of their actions. "They nearly had her too." James caught her attention, looking down in shame.

"We got distracted" he explained quietly, at odds with his usual exuberance. "Dumbledore arrived and we lost focus for a second."

"And that was all Bella needed to-"

"Cause an explosion in the middle of the village" Remus continued, cutting over Sirius.

"We got knocked out and sent here to recuperate" Peter finished, finally opening the bag of Fudge Flies in his hand. That seemed to signal the end of story time, Lily opening a textbook to which James rolled his eyes, and Remus closed his own to go back to sleep.

"Moony was worried" Sirius said significantly. "We're healing at muggle rates."

"What?" That made no sense. "Why in the name of Merlin's fluffiest bathrobe would you do that?" Pain sliced through Sirius' eyes, but he spoke anyway.

"Because Pommers can't be sure that the trauma you went through won't have a reaction with any non-standard painkilling potions, so we decided that if you're taking the long road, so are we."

"We out stubborned Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall" James told her proudly. Rose wanted to be angry with them, but she felt a surge of pure affection for the balmy idiots.

"Thank-"

"Ah-ah" Sirius held up a finger. "There's nothing you ever have to thank us for, Rosebud." A yawn ruined the perfectly good retort she had planned, but it was worth it to see the fond amusement shine in Sirius' eyes. "Get some sleep, Rosebud. We'll all be there when you wake up. I promise."

* * *

Laughter and playful bickering greeted Rose when she rejoined the land of the living. The pain had dulled to a near constant ache, something she could push to the background. She pushed herself into a semi-upright position, leaning heavily against the pillows. The chill in the Hospital Wing was taken off by her dark purple pyjamas and light blue jumper, and Rose felt more refreshed after her sleep. She was certainly more aware of her surroundings this time around. Stacks of letters and cards were placed on her bedside cabinet, balanced precariously among potion vials and a water pitcher. At the end of her bed was what appeared to be the entirety of the Hogwarts Express lunch trolley twice. Lily was in the bed to her right, with her own collection of sweets, and was busy penning a letter, but to who Rose couldn't tell. Remus was to her left, a copy of the Daily Prophet open on his lap, quill raised to complete the crossword (a Marauder tradition). Peter was in the bed opposite Lily and seemed to be hurrying to complete some homework. James was opposite Remus, his hair messier than ever as he seemed to be drawing up battle plans. Finally, Sirius was opposite Rose, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, a muggle motorcycle magazine open in front of him. "Mugwump, three down" Sirius drawled, Remus groaning to himself. "Morning, Rosebud. Hungry?" His casual nonchalance brought back memories of every time they'd ended up where they were after a prank gone wrong. She let out a laugh, grinning brightly at him. She pointed at the arrangement of colourful sweet boxes at the end of her bed.

"Who bought out Honeydukes?"

"Pads spread the word" James smirked, like the Marauder he was. "Bertie Botts, Chocoballs, Sugar Quills, and Chocolate Frogs. And if you find King Arthur, that's mine."

"Piss off, Prongs" Remus said politely. "I've got dibs on that one."

"How long have we been in here?" Rose asked Sirius, the disowned Black circling a motorcycle decisively.

"Ten days" he sighed, looking out the window wistfully. "I think on day three Dumbles came. We had a bit of a chat."

"He said that help would always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it" James stated in awe. "He's utterly cracked, but brilliant."

"But what did he say about punishment?" Lily demanded, glaring at the hazel eyed Marauder. "They wouldn't say until you woke up."

"He said that we were incredibly foolish, but showed outstanding loyalty, courage, and determination" James continued as if Lily hadn't spoken. "Our love for each other and refusal to leave anyone to those bastards, apparently impressed him or something. We're suspended for a week in absentia, gained a hundred house points for our duelling talent, and as far as the school is aware, we were in Hogsmeade with permission."

"In other words, fighting Death Eaters and watching someone you care about being tortured, and living with the guilt is punishment enough" Sirius said bitterly, lighting the cigarette with a snap of his fingers.

"Sirius Orion Black, that was not your fault" Rose snapped, refusing even for a second to let him think that. "Your cousin is a deranged harpy who belongs in Azkaban for the rest of her unnatural life. That is not on you." Sirius smiled sadly, but didn't look at though he believed her. James shook his head, expression apologetic; Sirius was stubborn beyond the point of bloodymindedness, and Rose didn't need James to tell her that. "How long are we going to be in here?"

"We get released the day of the Christmas holidays" James grinned, rubbing his hands in excitement. "That's a little over a month from now."

"A _month?!"_ Sirius' eyes bugged out of his head. "Are you f-"

"Mr Black, language!"

"Sorry, Pommers!" He lowered his voice. "Are you out of your mind? We're going to go stir crazy within a week."

"But it'll be a good week" Remus smirked, ducking away from the Chocolate Frog Sirius threw at him. "Ta."

"If this is because of me" Rose began, Remus talking over her.

"Of course it is, Rosie" he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And it's because of me, and Peter, and James, and Sirius. It's because all of us decided to go to Hogsmeade and then duel a group of blood puritan psychopaths. It's because I got out of control and made a bad situation already worse. It's-"

"Shut up, Remus" Sirius glared, expelling a lungful of smoke. He took a deep breath, calming himself, and then he was his old self. "You know what really rankles?"

"Your constant disregard for the rules?" Lily cut in, eyes burning holes in his cigarette.

"No" Sirius looked at her like she was insane. "I like that. Minnie took my bottle of Firewhiskey."

"Your coming of age celebratory bottle?" James looked horrified. "How could anyone do that?"

"She found it when she was bringing over my birthday presents" Sirius smirked, eyes glittering.

"Have you opened them yet?" Rose teased, grinning at the playfully offended wince Sirius promptly sported.

"Marauder tradition; presents are to be opened only in the presence of all present Marauders."

"I'm awake now, Siri."

"So you are" he agreed, eyes dancing brilliantly. He held out his hand. "Accio, presents." Half a dozen boxes flew up from the floor to his lap. Sirius picked up a thin box about as long as his forearm first. Rose watched as he grinned brightly. "Moony, you rebel" he smirked. "Ogden's Old Firewhiskey?"

"Third year" Remus informed him. "Standing in line, freezing our arses off in the snow by the Shack, you said all you wanted for your seventeenth was that. I remembered."

"Ta, Moons." Sirius reverently placed it back in its box and moved on to a small square package. "Mr and Mrs P?"

"Tradition" James explained happily. "Whenever a witch or wizard comes of age, they get one of those." From what Rose could see, it was a beautiful watch. "Now open mine." Sirius almost seemed to be stunned speechless at whatever was in the small box from James. It caught the light when he handled it, silver shimmering along the blade. "It'll open any lock, any door, anything. Uncle Charlus told me how to get it." Rose turned away and met Lily's eyes, none of them willing to interrupt the moment the two best friends were having. Peter's gift was set of motorcycle goggles that would never fog, dirty or otherwise impair his vision. Rose could tell Sirius loved them. That just made a pit of worry settle in her stomach. She'd deviated from tradition this year, going with her old family tradition of gifting something that would be treasured - now she wasn't so sure. Sirius' brow furrowed as he set aside the Marauder collective gift of more prank supplies and picked up the rectangular box from Rose. It was, to the casual observer, book shaped, which would explain Sirius' confusion. His face set into an unreadable mask as he opened the wrapping. Remus looked from him to Rose in amused confusion.

"Did you give him a book? Padfoot? A book?"

"How?" Sirius asked, surprise dusting the single syllable.

"Granddad James was almost as obsessed as you are, although he preferred The Importance of Being Earnest. That was a small part of my inheritance" she shrugged, uncomfortable with the shocked hopeful disbelief coming from Sirius, and the plain confusion coming from all other quarters. "It's nothing."

"Rosebud." That simple word summed up everything Sirius couldn't say. She coloured, ducking her head from sight. Lily was looking at her like she was from another world, much like how the other Marauders were looking at Sirius. It was Remus who broke the silence.

"What in Godric's name is that, and what the Salazar does it have to do with Oscar Wilde?" Sirius smiled warmly, hand brushing the cover of the book.

"The Portrait of Dorian Gray, first edition" Sirius breathed, like he couldn't believe it. "I only mentioned it once, Rosebud. How?"

"There are very few things in this world that made your childhood easier" Rose told him quietly. "Do you think any of us would forget them?"

"But a first edition?"

"That was my choice to make" Rose smiled wistfully. "Granddad used to say that there was nothing sadder than a book that was never read. He had a whole library, Dad, Tuney and Lily got most of the books, but that he gave to me. I always wondered why because I was never really that keen, but Granddad was a genius. He said books, like people, need to be loved." She shook herself. "Happy birthday, Siri."

"Thank you, Rosebud." James drew Sirius quickly into a fervent whispered conversation, and Rose could feel Lily's glare burning into her.

"What?" Rose hissed, seeing almost comical angry disbelief in Lily's emerald eyes. Her twins body language was screaming _how could you do this to me_?

_"Sirius Black?!"_ Lily whisper-shrieked, arms flailing. "What in the name of the holy mother of Merlin are you _thinking?"_

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Rose denied flatly, not meeting her eyes.

"For a professional prankster you are terrible at lying, Rose" Lily told her sadly, that almost-betrayal in her eyes. "You gave him Grandad's book. And I was there yesterday. I have eyes. And I am your sister." Lily suddenly crowed triumphantly. "And you as good as admitted it to Marlene."

"I'm not getting into this now, Lily" Rose smiled falsely, feeling the Marauders' eyes on her.

"Admitted what to Marlene?" Peter asked curiously, Rose wanting nothing more than to have a pit open under her sister.

"Shut up, Wormtail" Sirius ordered tiredly, winking once at Rose when nobody was looking. She mouthed a grateful thank you, watching his eyes dance with mischief; it wasn't over, but Sirius had stalled it for now. She suddenly felt very tired, and sank back into her bed, closing her eyes on the comforting sounds of Sirius and James talking quidditch.

* * *

Red light, pain. So much _pain._ She screamed but she couldn't hear her voice. It wouldn't stop, it kept coming again and again, and she couldn't stop it. Her throat hurt, it felt like it was bleeding and she just wanted it all to stop. Her blood rushed in her ears, sounding like a familiar voice. Green light lit up her vision, brilliant but deadly. A body collapsed in front of her. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed. It was dark, and she could barely see, but she heard footsteps limping towards her, and tensed. She wanted to panic, but there was a familiar leather-almond-motor oil-beech smell, and it made her feel safe. If Rose had been more herself, she would have been embarrassed, but she was just reacting. The torture nightmare-memory had unsettled her and she just wanted to feel safe. She didn't even realise that she was crying until a weight balanced carefully on the bed and shushed her tenderly. "I'm here, it's okay, you're safe. I'm sorry. Please don't cry, you know I hate it when you do that. Rosebud." Rose let out a quiet cry and let him hold her; she needed him to. There was nowhere in the world that she felt safer.

"Pads?" James slurred, still half asleep. "What's going on?"

"Nothing but a bad dream" Sirius said softly. "But it's okay now. She's going to be okay." James yawned and muttered something unintelligible, everyone else having the good sense to pretend to still be asleep. Rose dried her eyes, knowing with a bone deep certainty that she wouldn't get any more sleep tonight. "The stars are out" Sirius told her, quiet calm radiating from him. "Shall we play hooky from Pommers?"

"We shouldn't" Rose smiled, the expression feeling odd after the nightmare. Sirius' eyebrow raised, moonlight casting him in an ethereal glow. She grinned and half-leaned on him for support. "What are you waiting for?"

Warmth radiated from Sirius' bandaged chest, Rose leaning closer against him as the night deepened. They'd lost track of time, just silently enjoying the night and the company. "We were in second year when I told you about Dorian Gray" Sirius announced suddenly, startling Rose who'd thought he'd fallen asleep. "We were dealing with Moony and his secret. How could you even remember?"

"It was important to you, Siri" Rose shrugged, keeping her eyes fixed on Canis Major. "I always remember the important things."

"Just like I do" Sirius told her, and there was something in his tone that didn't bode well. "I remember that you loved your grandfather more than either of your siblings. I know that it hurt you that they got the majority of the inheritance. And I know that you aren't telling me something, Rosebud."

"Granddad always called me dear heart" Rose said, feeling tears prickle her eyes. "When I was ten, Petunia started to really hate Lily and I. Her pet name was Freak; Lily and I, a pair of freaks. But Granddad would say that I shouldn't wish to be normal, the same as Tuney. He gave me that book to read, he said he knew I'd hate it, but to read it anyway. He said be careful what you wish for dear heart, callous wishes usually come true." Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, and Rose turned away from Sirius, too tired to keep it in any longer. The nightmare had turn down her walls. "Granddad said to treasure that book until I found someone who was truly worthy of it, like my heart. I was ten at the time, I thought he was talking rubbish, but- but he was right. That person was you, in both instances." Silence greeted her words, Rose was halfway convinced that she could hear Flobberworms munching on cabbage down at Hagrid's Hut. Mortification, and the fervent hope that somehow he hadn't heard her, kept her frozen to the spot - an arms length from the man she wasn't quite yet ready to admit she was in love with, but knew she couldn't live without. His voice, carefully picking out words, held her place more efficiently than the mortification still burning through her veins.

"Not long before Halloween in third year, I was happy. Life was going pretty well. Then Prongs had to go and open his big mouth." Sirius' chuckle was wry, like he had never had a chance anyway. "It was a Saturday, clear and sunny and James had got up at the arsecrack of dawn to book the quidditch pitch, and he dragged me with him. You had had one of your girls nights, staying up to all hours with McKinnon, Fortescue, MacDonald, Evans, the lot of them." He turned her gently to face him, moonlight giving him a natural spotlight and only making him look more handsome than ever. "About halfway through breakfast, Prongs dropped his fork, lapful of scrambled eggs, face like a tomato. He was staring at the doors. You and Lily had just entered, and I can't describe it; James says the sun had come out. He said something about Lily Evans in that light, the way she laughed, the way her eyes sparkled like jewels (this is verbatim, by the way), something just hit him and he knew. He knew that no matter how long he lived, he could never want anyone but her. While he was gawping, he said to me 'she looks beautiful'. And I agreed." Sirius' grey eyes burned into hers with an intensity she remembered from Hogsmeade. "I wasn't talking about Lily Evans, because standing next to her was an angel. My angel, my Rosebud." Her mortification was swept away with a wave of affection so great her heart skipped a beat in her chest. Sirius brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, thumb caressing her cheek. "None of us are perfect, and neither of us are mature enough or ready to hear or say it, but it's what we feel anyway. Yes?"

"Asking silly questions again, Siri?" Rose asked, tears choking her voice and ruining the levity. He let out a bark of laughter anyway, eyes still burning into hers.

"I'll never lie unless I really have to, I'll never cheat, and I'll never stop being yours as long as you'll have me" he swore, not a word of it a lie.

"Shut up and kiss me." Rose was a Marauder, but she'd never been so bold in all of her life. Sirius just smirked.

"As my lady commands." His lips were warm and soft, gentle and yet commanding. Rose followed her body's command and melted into him - there was really nowhere else in the world she would rather be.

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:**

**Hi all!**

**This one is going to be a long chapter. Sorry.**

**I still regrettably own nothing. That includes Dorian Gray and Morcambe and Wise (although if Ben Barnes turns up anywhere, dibs!)**

* * *

"'_The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn_.'" The sound of Sirius' voice was the only noise in the Hospital Wing, the grey eyed Marauder finally giving in to the nagging of one James Potter. James had spent the days since Rose woke up, pestering Sirius about the book. Rose smiled softly, busy writing a letter of explanation to her understandably worried parents about why she was going to be in hospital for the best part of a month. It was the twenty first of November, a sunny but cool Sunday, and Rose could never remember being so incandescently happy to be stuck in the Hospital Wing, writing a letter to her mum and dad. Through what Rose could only describe at the grace of Merlin (and the fact that they'd always been a little over-affectionate with one another), nobody had noticed the change in circumstances between Rose and Sirius. Remus hummed to himself, flipping through his Arithmancy textbook, making notes on a long scroll of parchment. Lily, by far the most able of them healing-wise, perched on the other side of his bed, pointing out passages to him that would be useful. Rose scrawled a signature on the bottom of her letter, then put it to the side, letting her thoughts wander while Sirius read aloud.

Aside from minor bruising from the wall collapsing on her, and a bandage covering her right forearm (which Lily told her not to worry about), Rose's injuries were entirely from multiple torture (as Madame Pomfrey tactfully described it). Every part of her body ached, she could barely hold her own weight, she tired easily, and the nightmares would always come at night. Lily had bruises and abrasions from the rubble of the explosion, and suffered the odd nightmare about the whole business. Peter had broken a leg and somehow mauled by a puma created by a Death Eater - injuries that had only presented themselves after the Full Moon. He stayed in bed, enjoying the fruits of being stuck in the Hospital Wing. Remus was suffering from a rough Full Moon, the injuries not mixing well with the ones already sustained from the duels. He never once complained, taking the time to recover before doing anything. James had a nasty slice over his right eye, a face like a paint by numbers, two broken ribs, and a broken collarbone courtesy of Moony. Every movement must have caused him pain, but not a word of serious complaint passed his lips. Even more remarkable was that he had yet to ask Lily out anywhere - in fact, they seemed to be maintaining a cordial politeness and distance. Sirius had a gash in his right thigh, three broken ribs, two fractured ribs, and - if he was to be believed - enough colour on his body to paint that Muggle Sissy Chapel. That comment had sparked a discussion about muggle versus wizarding art, Lily looking almost surprised that James and Sirius knew anything about muggle society. Rose had to quickly explain that they actually paid attention in Muggle Studies class, while Remus tilted his hand from side to side.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey made the rounds late that afternoon, passing out potions and stern reprimands not to move. Rose glared at the murky khaki potion (that smelled like feet) that the Matron forced into her hand. "Merlin's underwear!" Twin streams of the unappetising potion streamed from her nose, Rose coughing and gagging and trying desperately not to laugh at the same time. Peter looked horrified at the words that had just come from his mouth, a bright blush tinting his cheekbones. "Sorry."

"Timing, Wormtail" James sighed, pinching his nose to swallow a dull yellow potion. "Six years we've been telling you. It's all in the timing. You okay, Rosie?"

"Peachy" Rose snarked, still trying to get the potion taste out of her mouth. She drank an entire glass of water, eyes watering from the foul potion. Sirius rolled his eyes at the lot of them, grinning widely and unapologetically.

"What's with the swearing, Pete?"

"We're stuck here from now until Christmas, Prongs. Christmas" Peter announced, looking around at them all as if this was somehow a massive problem. James rolled his eyes, throwing a pillow at him.

"And that worries us why?" Remus asked, not sounding all that concerned.

"Because we won't be able to get any shopping done, Moony" Peter groaned, banging his head on the bedhead. "We will have no presents."

"Two words for you, Pete" James grinned brightly. "Owl order."

"Too cheap."

"Piss off, Sirius" Peter scowled, throwing James's pillow at the dog animagus.

"Are they really always like this?" Dorcas called, standing in the doorway with Marlene and Hestia.

"So far" Lily agreed grimly, Remus perking up at the new company. Or it could be the homework they brought with them; Moony had an odd fascination with learning, sometimes even Rose didn't understand it.

"And we'll only get worse until the very bitter end" Sirius announced grandly. His muggle motorcycle magazine slipped and revealed a punk wrock issue of Wrock Weekly.

"Really, Siri?" Rose raised an eyebrow playfully, James eyeing them curiously.

"I apologise if I've offended you, Rosebud."

"I've known you for over six years, Sirius, you're going to have to do better than that to offend me." A smirk drifted over his lips.

"Then I humbly vow to redouble my efforts." Rose laughingly shook her head, amused that he could always talk his way out of anything. James, on the other hand, appeared to choke on thin air, spluttering with his hazel eyes bugging out of his head. He waved his hands around, looking so mental that even Lily looked on in concern. Sirius just heaved a long-suffering sigh and turned to his best mate calmly. "Why in the name of Merlin's favourite pair of Long John's are you acting like a complete and utter berk?" Noise came out of James's mouth, but none of it made even the slightest bit of sense. "What is that? Gnomish?" James gave Sirius the finger, opening his mouth as if to speak. "Yes, Prongs?" Sirius prompted with his usual smooth tone, casual nonchalance in his eyes. "We're waiting."

"Merlin's beard!"

"Two actual words from the English language!" Peter clapped enthusiastically , getting a mouthful of jumper. He spluttered and glared at James. "Prongs!"

"What's going on out here?!" The Matron burst out of her office and glared around at them all. Marlene looked up from her place by Lily's bed.

"I really wish I knew, Matron."

"I think Prongs is having an episode" Sirius announced innocently, Rose bursting into peals of delighted laughter. James scowled, narrowing his eyes at his best friend.

"I think Rosie needs a brain scan." Rose raised an eyebrow, knowing from experience that it made her look like Lily.

"Oh yes?" Rose invited. "And why is that, pray tell?" The stag animagus quickly looked from Sirius to Rose, his expressive eyes telling them the gig was up.

"You took Padfoot's side!" Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, and Rose herself deflated some of the tension that strained her still-sore muscles. Remus froze for a beat, thoughtful, then rolled his eyes as he had always done.

"Nine times out of ten, Rosie will always side with Padfoot, Prongs, we know this."

Conversation continued, Hestia scoffing, hand drawing back from a bag of jelly slugs as seven pairs of eyes fixed on her. "Frank and Benjy were asking, when will this lot be released?"

"December first" Madame Pomfrey said, bustling about with potions again. Rose took one look at the sickly green potion and shook her head, vehemently refusing to let that anywhere near her lips.

"It tastes vile" Rose said, stubbornly keeping that thing away from her.

"Sugar renders most potions ineffective" Lily quoted, tied with Snivellus for being the best potioneer in their year. Sirius came a close second.

"Still not drinking it" Rose replied, showcasing why stubbornness really was a Marauder trait. The usually friendly Matron finished handing out the various potions (none looking as repulsive as the one Rose was stuck with - and wasn't that just bloody typical), gave the Marauders a significant look and then retreated to her office. If Rose didn't feel so irked, she might admit that it was a good ploy; get the Marauders to deal with another Marauder. As it was, she just felt a surge of annoyance. She'd been tortured, not turned into a glass sculpture!

"We're well aware of that, Rosie" James assured her, glancing cautiously at Sirius. She must've said that aloud. "But, we care about you. And, as such, we want to make sure you're going to be well."

"I know you all care, Jamie-"

"Some more than others" Marlene muttered, but Rose was content to ignore her.

"But I'm not going to break. I'm just the same as I ever was, and I'm getting to the point where I might just hex you for the fun of it."

"And there's our Lady Astra" James cheered, clapping proudly. Rose grinned at her friends, guilt stabbing her heart at the worried looks they still sported. If it really meant that much to them, maybe it would be best if she just sucked it up. She made a face and downed the foul-tasting potion, scrunching her nose up at the taste.

"How was that?" Remus teased, earning a glare for his troubles.

"Utterly repulsive" Rose informed him with dignity, glaring at the row of identical green, gold and murky khaki potions the Hogwarts Matron had set out for her 'treatment' - it was cruel and unusual punishment. Sirius smiled apologetically at her, his eyes twinkling with everything he couldn't say.

"Am I the only one getting a bit bored here?" James Potter's loud announcement signalled the beginning of their third week of confinement (as the Marauders had taken to calling it) with aplomb. Sirius looked at him with the flawless sarcasm of a man who had reached that point and sailed past it. The guilt they were all feeling had eased somewhat with long (and oftentimes joke filled) conversations about that hellish afternoon, but Rose just felt guiltier by the day, seeing her friends and sister grow ever more mind numbingly bored with each passing moment. They were not made for inactivity. It just didn't sit well with them. Lily had filled her days by helping Madame Pomfrey, finding a passion for healing that she didn't know she had. Remus hummed slightly, marking a note in his Spellman's Syballry, suddenly looking up at the other Marauders.

"Prongs, are you Great HW Breakout of 1975 bored?"

"Beyond that" James groaned, muffling his head in a quaffle pillow salvaged from his dormitory.

"Cheer up" Rose grinned. "Pommers did say that we're getting out on the first."

"Which is still too far from now, Astra" James pointed out unhappily, pouting at the epic unconcern from his friends.

"Why must men always complain about getting better?" Lily asked the room rhetorically, James scowling at her; enforced confinement always turned him grumpy.

"I am better" the stag snapped, Lily practically spitting fire at him.

"There's no need to get ratty, James" Rose huffed, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Oi!" Peter yelled, glowering at Rose.

"Sorry Pete" Rose said automatically - he was so touchy about his animagus form.

"You always say that" he grumbled, looking all of five years old. Sirius stood quietly by the window, smoking his third cigarette of the day. He looked troubled, but didn't comment on the sudden hostility in the room.

"I think we're suffering from cabin fever" Rose whispered to Lily, her sister nodding worriedly. Peter, now in a fine snit, heard and clapped sarcastically.

"Well knowing what we're suffering from makes it all better" he said in a falsely cheerful voice. Rose took a deep breath, trying to calm the spark of irritation Peter's tone had caused. Sometimes she hated sarcasm.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, Wormy" she sang; Godric, what she wouldn't do to see any other room in the entire castle.

"Oh, shut up, Astra" Peter snapped, getting awkwardly to his feet - his cast hampering his efforts somewhat. His blue eyes seemed to shimmer like ice, unpleasantly and briefly reminding Rose of Bellatrix's. "We wouldn't be in this mess if you'd learned to block a simple curse."

"Simple curse?!" Rose didn't recognise the dangerous edge in her voice. "There's nothing simple about the cruciatus curse, Peter. You've never felt every inch of your body burning like it's in acid; you've never felt millions of knives slicing into your skin. You've never screamed for the pain to stop, grasped for a good memory and known neither wish could ever come true." She was on her feet, and didn't remember doing so. "You have never felt your sanity stretch and stretch and come so close to breaking. All of you can sit there and judge me for what happened - and I know it's my fault Bellatrix exploded that building on you, and Godric, if anything had happened to you - and I love you all and know you have that right to judge, but you will never understand what it feels like, what that curse does to you" Rose broke off, her whole body shaking.

It was James whose hazel eyes shone with sad understanding, who took charge just as he always would. "Peter, sit down and cool off" the stag ordered, every inch as authoritative as he had been in Hogsmeade. "Rose is right; we have no right to claim understanding about what she's been through. Lily please go and ask Madame Pomfrey to send for Professor McGonagall; I think it's time we had that chat about our confinement. Moony, find that plan we drew up, I think we're going to need it now." James approached cautiously, Rose flinching back without realising it. A flicker of pain crossed the familiar face. "Rosie, none of us blame you for us being stuck in here - we chose it."

"Maybe if I'd just tried a bit harder to duck, if I'd just-"

"No, Rosie" James said firmly, she didn't hear him. The what-ifs were out and running in circles around her head.

"If I hadn't- you wouldn't all be stuck in here, missing weeks of school, hurt because of me. Me, James! Me!" James groaned in exasperation, throwing his arms up into the air. She thought James might tear his hair out.

"For Merlin's sake, Rose-"

"Let me." Sirius stepped away from the window, grey eyes almost black with some unidentifiable emotion. He didn't bother approaching cautiously, standing less than a inch from her. The expression on his face was one of fond exasperation; like a man who'd grown tired of explaining the same thing to a loved one. He even sighed in that manner. "For the last time, my darling Rosebud, none of us bear the blame for what happened. It was my psychotic cousin and the racist, blood puritan pricks that follow Voldemort. Much as we might carry the guilt, the blame is not on our shoulders." Rose desperately wanted to believe him, but the guilt still lodged hard in her chest. Sirius had the audacity to laugh. "Stubborn, aren't we?" Lily gasped at the undisguised tenderness in Sirius' smooth voice. "Fine, I'll just have to try another way." Rose leaned slightly to the right, feeling the warmth of Sirius' hand on her waist. His thumb moved in gentle strokes as he talked. Godric, that felt good. "Do you blame Peter for being sent to get help, Moony for leaving you behind?" Rose could only shake her head wordlessly, torn between the burn of the guilt and the overwhelming sensation of Sirius so close. The handsomest Marauder smiled slightly at her nod. "Well then, do you blame Lily for not coming to help sooner? Or James for the plan that separated us all?" This time Sirius looked appraisingly, waiting for a verbal answer. His thumb paused in it's calming motion, Rose forcing out a murmured dissent. "Good" Sirius praised, drawing her closer now with both hands on her waist. There was nothing Rose wanted more than to fall into him, but there was an almost warning about him not to do so. "If you don't blame Wormtail or Moony, or Evans or Prongs" he continued, his voice a calm but low note. "Then perhaps you blame me. After all, I agreed with Prongs' plan, and it was my psychotic cousin that used the second Unforgivable on you. My birthday, my family, my blood. It would be understandable to lay the blame on me, yes?"

"No!" Rose shook her head violently, amusement briefly sparkling in Sirius' eyes. "It wasn't any of your fault. It was Bellatrix and the Death Eaters, and-"

"Not yours" Sirius prompted, fire in his eyes warning her not to push this any further.

"Not mine" Rose repeated dutifully. Sirius looked wholely unimpressed.

"More conviction." A seductive note entered his voice, his clever eyes noticing what his proximity was doing to her, what it always did. Rose wanted to hate him for what he was doing to her, but she remained powerless under his gaze. As she always had.

"Not mine" she said again, almost believing it herself.

"You don't quite sound like you believe it, Rosebud" Sirius purred, his voice crossing from merely slightly seductive to liquid seduction. "Again." A need she couldn't name burned hot within her, sweeping away the guilt like it was nothing; Rose bit back a sob at the feel of it all.

"It's not my fault" she cried, the sound an unimpressive breath of air. When Sirius' talented lips closed over her own, it felt like the reward it was. She didn't hear nor care that Lily made a noise like someone trodding on a hamster, nor did she notice Peter tossing a galleon at Remus and James. All that mattered were the arms that encircled her waist, the heart beating against her palm, the lips over hers, and the tongue gently exploring her mouth. And if her legs no longer wanted to hold all her weight, then only Sirius noticed and nobody really cared.

Something like ten minutes later, Rose leant back gently against Sirius' still-healing chest, and resisted the urge to giggle. Lily was sitting on the edge of her own hospital bed, looking remarkably like she'd just been clubbed over the head by a troll. They were waiting for McGonagall to finish her lesson (third years, so animagus lessons - some of the Marauders' fondest third year memories), but not a word had been spoken since the metaphorical bludger had been let out of the box. After a few moments of silent mouth-moving, Lily remembered the English language. "When?"

"As a question, more original than why" Rose muttered, feeling Sirius laugh behind her.

"The why is obvious" Lily returned evenly. "He has taste and you have no standards."

"That hurt, Evans" Sirius gasped dramatically, his eyes rolling the next second.

"Truth hurts, Black" Lily said easily. "Now how long have you been lying to us?"

"I never lied, Lils" Rose sighed sadly. "You just never asked in the roughly three weeks it's been going on. Since the night Sirius opened his birthday presents."

"Ten galleons to me" Remus crowed jubilantly, James sending a mild glare at his best friend.

"You couldn't have made a move on your actual birthday, Pads?" he complained, pouting spectacularly. "Would it have killed you?"

"Probably" Sirius shrugged, supremely unconcerned. "It's your fault for betting on me. Never bet about me."

"You insist that we bet on Gryffindor in quidditch" Remus reminded him cheerfully, counting all his eleven new galleons.

"That's different" Sirius said flatly. "It's quidditch, not my personal life. You're supposed to bet on quidditch."

"I just can't believe you were wagering on us and didn't think to tell" Rose grumbled, hoping to Godric that her smile didn't show. "I could've used five galleons."

"I somehow think that telling you would have ruined the point of having the wager, Miss Evans" McGonagall's crisp voice announced, the Marauders' favourite professor standing in the doorway. Her usual emerald robes looked a little worn, like she hadn't been bothering to change for a while.

"Professor!" James cheered, brightening at the sight of her.

"Minnie!" Sirius was nearly as effusive.

"Mr Potter, Mr Black" McGonagall acknowledged, dipping her head. "Madame Pomfrey said you wished to meet with me?"

"Only you, Professor" Sirius charmed, McGonagall biting back a smile. She'd obviously missed them.

"You can flirt with Professor McGonagall later, Siri" Rose smiled. McGonagall had somehow returned the good spirits to the Marauders.

"It's no fun if I have permission, Rosebud" Sirius complained, but his arm around her waist tightened minutely.

"I do not have all day, Potter, perhaps you might get to the point sometime this year?"

"I wouldn't hold my breath" Lily muttered, promptly looking mortified for back chatting a teacher. Rose laughed in pure surprise, grinning widely at her sister.

"Three weeks and my sister's sounding like a Marauder."

"You make that sound like a good thing, Rosie" Peter smirked, eyes offering a silent apology for his earlier behaviour.

"Miss Rule Abiding sounding like a Marauder" Sirius mused thoughtfully. "The world's definitely gone to pot."

"Can we get to the point, please?" Remus pleaded, turning green eyes onto James and Sirius. The black haired Marauders sighed but nodded, James fixing a look on their favourite teacher.

"Professor, please forgive us for our tone, but you need to get us the Salazar out of here. We're going to go insane. We're healed as much as we can. Please, we need to be normal now. And if that means pranking the living daylights out of some Slytherin students, know that it's just us blowing off some steam and getting back to normal."

"Otherwise I am going to break out and kill my brother in his sleep" Sirius growled, anger seeping into his voice.

"You're not going to kill your brother, Padfoot" Remus sighed, once again every inch the responsible Marauder.

"But it's fun to fantasise about while I'm stuck in here" the dog animagus replied smoothly, McGonagall pursing her lips in disapproval. Fortunately, she knew the Marauders well enough to know that they would follow through with their promises.

"If, and only if, Professor Dumbledore decides that it is appropriate for you to rejoin the rest of the castle, then you may be released. Otherwise you will remain in the Hospital Wing until such a time as Madame Pomfrey decides to release you." The stern witch gave them an unusually stern glare. "Am I understood?"

"Yes, Professor" Lily chirped like the good student she was. Sirius made a face, Rose catching the reflection in the window. McGonagall turned her piercing gaze onto the Marauders.

"Understood, Professor" James agreed eventually, his tone just this side of mulish.

"As you wish, Professor" Sirius acknowledged, inclining his head just so.

"Got it, Prof" Peter drawled, his brand new cheering charm (courtesy of James) making him a little loopy.

"Forgive him, he's a moron" Remus pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I do completely understand, however, Professor McGonagall."

"I just follow what these guys tell me" Rose shrugged, trying (and failing) to look innocent. Sirius barked out a laugh behind her, the sound turning into a coughing fit a few seconds later.

"I'm fine" he quickly assured, waving James off. "Laughing when you've got nearly healed ribs isn't the best thing to do, apparently."

"So naturally, you'll be doing more of it" Lily muttered, Remus smirking at her delivery.

"And this is precisely why we have to get out of here" Sirius announced grandly, pointing directly at Remus and Lily.

"It's rude to point" Remus said maddeningly.

"It's also rude to eat every single bar of Honeydukes Best in the cold-charmed box behind the fake panel behind your bed, Moony" Sirius told him calmly. "But that might not stop me. In fact, it might just encourage me." Horror spread across the resident werewolf's face, blood draining from the already pale visage.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, but I would" Sirius assured him coolly, managing to look completely serious without moving a muscle.

"You're a sadist."

"Sadism is in the eye of the beholder, my dear Moony" Sirius smirked, Remus narrowing his eyes at him.

"Then you would leave me with no other recourse but to curse your hair bright pink and force you to cut it very short again."

"No you won't." Rose didn't even realise she'd spoken until James's laughter reverberated around the room.

"Remember, nine times out of ten, Moony, she'll always take Padfoot's side."

"Yes that's very funny, Prongs" Remus scowled, an almost betrayed look in his eyes. He hated it when they used his logic against him.

"It's also very true" James grinned, McGonagall taking her chance to leave gracefully and not get dragged into the Marauders' argument.

"So" Sirius said, as the door closed on McGonagall. "Do we actually think Dumbles is going to let us out?"

"Not a hope in Slytherin" James replied regretfully. "But, at least we tried, and if we fail, we do so nobly."

"There's nothing noble about failure, Prongs" Peter mumbled, ignoring the dubious looks he got from his fellow mischief makers.

"Then we must endeavour not to cock it up" James announced grandly, promptly getting pelted with stray Bertie Botts beans.

"Ah, the Marauders motto" Remus said nostalgically. "If you cannot be assured of victory, at least try not to royally cock it up."

"Moony, shut up" James requested, although it wasn't really much of a request - more of an order really.

* * *

Smoke rose in gentle spirals from Sirius' hospital bed, the Marauder busy reading the latest news in the Evening Prophet. He was sprawled casually on top of the sheets, looking for all the world as if he were merely enjoying a night in at the Gryffindor Tower. In stubborn contradiction of the cold late November weather, he had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, his hair cut more towards James's length than his usual shoulder-length style. It made him look even more boyishly handsome than usual. Rose found herself tuning out the evening show on the WWN, staring instead at the casual elegance of her boyfriend (if that was really the right term for what they were). Absently, she toyed with the fraying white bandage on her right forearm, the curiosity finally getting to her; Madame Pomfrey hadn't changed it, so why was it there in the first place? Lily was absorbed in a thick tome on healing (leant to her by Madame Pomfrey), while Remus stared pensively out of the window nearest his bed, thoughts clearly a million miles away. James had his eyes closed, the cherry of his own cigarette briefly brightening as he took a long drag through the energetic chorus of a new Hobgoblins song - it was as awful as the rest of the dross they put out. Peter, on the other hand, was already fast asleep, his loud snoring masked by the wireless. With the mischievous rush common to a Marauder doing something they knew they probably shouldn't (almost anything they had ever enjoyed doing), Rose darted another quick glance around at her companions, and slowly began to unwind the threadbare gauze. She ignored the little prickle of guilt at breaking her promise to Lily, and quickly threw the bandage into the bin beside her bed. The movement caught both Sirius and Lily's gaze, their eyes widening in realisation. Lily made an aborted move, to reach out maybe stop her, but Sirius looked torn between guilt, pride and sadness. Rose frowned in confusion; her upper forearm was just as it had always been, but her inner forearm throbbed with a remembered pain. Rose saw her twin twitch in distress, a sad smile spreading across her own face. "Well that's inconvenient" she remarked, her eyes flickering away from her arm. "Bella's calling card?" Neat, tall scars wrote out the word Sirius hated above all others; MUDBLOOD.

"Yes" Sirius let out the agreement on a quiet exhale of cigarette smoke and guilt.

"Thoughtful of her" Rose commented sarcastically, a wry smirk twitching the lips she loved having upon her own. Lily choked on thin air, a scandalised expression taking up residence on the face so like Rose's.

"How can you take this so calmly?" Lily demanded, protective anger lending a dark note to her words. "That deranged bitch carved that into your arm!"

"Yes, I can see that, Lil" Rose replied, running her fingers over the now unfamiliar lines in her arm. "But, letting this affect us will give Bellatrix what she wants. And I don't want to give her the satisfaction. Do you?"

"The only thing I want to give her is a one-way ticket to Azkaban" Lily informed her primly.

"For once, you and I are in complete agreement, Evans" Sirius announced, his intense gaze scanning Rose intently.

"Don't find common ground, it freaks me out" Rose said in mock horror, needing to put this all behind her.

"Imagine what it's doing to them, Rosie" James offered, his eyes still closed. "Your sister, agreeing with a Marauder. The horror."

"You're not funny" Lily glared, returning to her book with a Madame Pince worthy huff. James's eyes snapped open in alarm, indignation rolling off of him like an offended cloud.

"I am tremendously funny" he protested loudly. "I make Morecambe and Wise look unfunny."

"I quite like those two" Sirius shrugged, his gaze back on his newspaper. An undignified spluttering came from behind Lily's book, the elder redhead emerging with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"How in Merlin's name do you know about Morecambe and Wise?"

"Television and Christmas specials" Remus answered absently, still looking outside. "It looks beautiful out there. Do you remember the sky, or the smell of the trees?"

"Merlin's Y-Fronts" James shuddered. "He's turning maudlin, someone give him some chocolate quick." Rose was only to happy to oblige, tossing a bar of Honeydukes Best at her furry best friend, his arm causing the wireless to topple in his haste to grab the confectionary.

"Reparo" Sirius said, waving his wand lazily, Lily still looking at the male Marauders like they had grown another head or yelled out rude words in potions class (which they only did the once).

"I refuse to believe that you two have ever seen Morecambe and Wise" she announced suddenly, Rose feeling the sudden urge to groan. But then a surge of Marauderishness came upon her and she smirked.

"A galleon says they can sing the theme song." Lily glanced at her and nodded in challenge.

"You're on."

"Rosebud" Sirius threw his paper to the side, amusement warring with mild annoyance.

"Marauder" she grinned, rewarded with the most brilliant of Sirius' smirks. James groaned but nodded a reluctant agreement, Remus looking privately entertained by them all. Sirius looked at James, something passing between them before he glanced at Remus. "Moony, if you will."

"One, two, three" the responsible Marauder counted them in.

"Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. In this world where we live there should be more happiness. So much joy you can give to each brand new bright tomorrow" James sang, the sound oddly John Lennon-esque. He nodded at Sirius who gladly picked up the thread.

"Make me happy through the years. Never bring me any tears. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love." They grinned at each other, eyes sparkling at the gobsmacked expression Lily sported, and continued on together.

"_Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. In this world where we live there should be more happiness. So much joy you can give to each brand new bright tomorrow. Make me happy through the years. Never bring me any tears. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love. Bring me sunshine in your smile. Bring me laughter all the while. Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above. Bring me fun bring me sunshine, bring me love_."

"How?" Lily asked, still stunned.

"Never bet against a Marauder" Remus told her wisely. "We never make bets we can't win." Lily raised an eyebrow in the perfect image of 'oh really' scepticism.

"Then what do you call going to McGonagall this afternoon?" she challenged coolly.

"That wasn't a bet, Evans" James told her quietly, retuning the wireless. "That was an act of sheer desperation. Marauders are not made for inactivity. We rebel at stagnation."

"It's pathetic, really it is" Rose added, intentionally unhelpful. Remus snorted water out of his nose, chuckling at the scowl James directed Rose's way.

"Rosie!"

"Yes, Prongs?" Rose blinked innocently at the unofficial leader of the Marauders. He let out a wordless growl, exaggerated in both its exasperation and annoyance.

"Don't break Prongs, Rosebud" Sirius requested, as if he were merely discussing the weather. "He'd be no fun all un-Prongsified."

"That's not even a real word" James protested, throwing his quaffle pillow at Sirius.

"Semantics."

"That's a big word" Lily snarked, still put out. "Do you know how to spell it?"

"By the Four Founders, would you lot stop bickering?" Rose snapped, staring both her sister and her surrogate brother down. "Merlin, we need to get out of here. It's destroying all unit cohesion."

"I want to prank something" James pouted, very much his usual self.

"If you promise not to prank anyone tomorrow, Mr Potter, I think we can arrange for your release tomorrow morning."

"Dumbles, you know that's a promise a Marauder can never make" Sirius smirked, but there was an undercurrent in his voice that confused Rose. He looked almost worried.

"Sirius, you have all fulfilled the promises you made to me three weeks ago" Dumbledore said proudly. "I think it hardly matters if you act upon your natures upon your release." He pierced them all with his electric gaze. "Life rarely deals us challenges we cannot overcome. You five faced Death Eaters before your time, but you did so bravely and knowing exactly what you were getting yourselves into. Furthermore, you showed remarkable bravery, loyalty and love for each other. There can be no guilt or shame in your actions. Hogwarts will not allow this sacrifice to be for nothing. When you leave, you will find yourselves the same as you were in the eyes of your peers." The headmaster looked at each of them in turn. "Do not dwell on the past and forget to live. This challenge is in your past, live for your future."

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Next Chapter... Back into the every day Hogwarts life**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:**

**Hi all! Happy Halloween!**

**You get a lovely new chapter to celebrate this Marauderish occasion!**

**As a side note, I'm posting a one shot in this series, the Halloween I robbed you of earlier in the story. Look out for This Is Halloween if you want to read.**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Winter came upon Hogwarts suddenly, snow falling thickly overnight. Herbology lessons were cancelled, and Professor Kettleburn redid his lesson on salamanders, just so the students could cluster around the fires on the snow covered grounds. And yet, the near Antarctic conditions did not stop James Potter from calling quidditch practice. Three days a week and early Sunday mornings, James corralled his team and dragged them out of their warm beds and out into the freezing winter air. However, December 10 saw a blizzard blow into the castle, and even James had to see sense (and the point of Sirius' wand that evening) and call off practice.

The sixth year Gryffindor students were soon the only ones in the Common Room, sitting around the fire and holding steaming mugs of hot chocolate. They had a week until they broke up for Christmas, and the festive spirit was promoting a rare sense of unity. Alice and Frank were curled up on the couch, Benjy perching on the arm furthest from the canoodling couple. Hestia and Dorcas shared the other couch, with Marlene and Emmeline elegantly leaning against the bottom bit of it. Peter was stretched out furthest from the fire, dropping more marshmallows in his cup than was probably good for him. He kept up with the conversations, tossing in odd comments about the Slytherin students acting the oddest after the Hogsmeade Incident (as the students had taken to calling it). James and Lily sat on opposite armchairs, keeping up a grudging truce for the sake of harmony. Sirius leaned against the hearth, legs stretched out in front of him, Rose happily sitting against the bottom of Remus' chair, watching the firelight dance across Sirius' handsome features. His eyes were closed, but she could tell he was listening to the growing list of Slytherin's Acting Suspiciously, the slight tensing of his jaw giving him away. "You can say Regulus, you know" he announced tiredly, anger and worry lurking within his words. "He's counting the days until he can be 'of service', the stupid little git."

"I can't honestly believe that You-Know-Who is recruiting Hogwarts students" Mary spoke up, biting her bottom lip. Sirius laughed bitterly.

"I envy you your conviction, MacDonald" he said, his eyes opening and filling with a kind of pain. "When war is around the corner, which it is, then everyone is looking to recruit soldiers. And believe me, not even school kids are safe."

"But we don't know that for certain" Emmeline cut in hopefully, ignoring the frantic shaking of James's head.

"We do" Sirius replied, all five Marauders implied in his statement. Rose looked away from them all, knowing and hating the truth of what Sirius was about to say. "I won't say it, Rosebud, if you don't want me to." As ever, Sirius knew what she was thinking.

"I hate that it happened, Siri, not that you want to say it" she told him sadly.

"I know, Sweetheart" he sighed, already worn down by the stress of the war. Even James turned downcast. Marlene narrowed her dark blue eyes at them, anger darkening the midnight shade further.

"That's it" she announced, sounding very much like a drill sergeant. "I've had enough of this pity party."

"Pity party?" Remus repeated, scrunching up his nose. "What are you on about, Marlene?"

"You lot are seeing Death Eaters in every Slytherin" Marlene told them seriously. "Now, most of them are more suspicious than three hags hanging around a vampire (including your brother, Sirius, and our resident unwashed potions expert), but you're letting Voldemort get to you. Where the hell have the Marauders gone? What, you beat them once and then they beat you? Come on." Her eyes rolled audibly. "You five immature morons keep this place in good spirits, you make us laugh even when we should be worrying about the war to come."

"Face it" Hestia continued, nodding gratefully at Marlene. "We need you. After Christmas, we want the Marauders back. Prank Slytherin's, turn the Great Hall into a food fight warzone. I don't know, just get your acts together." A slow smirk spread across Sirius' face, mischief once again dancing in his eyes.

"Much as I hate to agree when the Girls on principle, they have a point, Prongs."

"So they do, Pads" James agreed, a blinding grin on his lips. "Marley, Hestia, thank you both. Moony, Wormtail, Astra; the Marauders are in."

"Merlin help us" Lily groaned, her smile hidden behind her snowflake patterned mug. Sirius frowned, shifted and set his empty mug to the side, his eyes darting to Rose and then his legs. Marauder actions always spoke louder than their words, and Rose knew exactly what Sirius was after. She patted Remus' leg and dropped down to lean against Sirius. He hummed contentedly, resting one hand on her hip, while the other stole her hot chocolate. Frank wrinkled his nose at the two of them.

"And you say that Alice and I are nauseating."

"You are" James informed him seriously, promptly breaking cover and grinning at his best friend, who answered with a beaming smile of his own. "But that doesn't mean that Rosie and Pads aren't equally nauseating. If not more so."

"Sod off, Prongs" Sirius requested, idly turning the flames into bright Gryffindor colours.

"Yes, do sod off, James" Rose agreed, sipping her rescued hot chocolate.

"My heart breaks" James announced dramatically. "My best friend is ganging up on me."

"Tough" Remus offered, glaring at Emmeline's attempt to steal some of his chocolate. "You touch it, you pay for it, Vance."

"I have to break it to you, Lupin, but nobody is actually afraid of you" Emmeline shrugged, looking apologetic.

"You know, Moony may seem like a sweetheart, but that's only until there's chocolate involved" Rose told her dormmate seriously.

"Then it's every Gryffindor for themselves" Sirius finished, Remus scowling but not disputing their conclusions.

"Did you finish that essay for Muggle Studies, Prongs?" Remus asked, his attempt to divert the conversation as desperate as it was transparent.

"Nice try, Moons, but it's not going to work" James smirked, that expression the most common to Marauders.

"Speaking of avoiding conversations" Lily spoke up suddenly. "Are you accepting the invitation?" Rose occupied herself in the very interesting dregs of her hot chocolate, while her fellow Marauders shared confused looks.

"What invitation?" James asked, confusion evident in his accent.

"Rose Marianne Evans" Lily glared, and was that an owl by the window - Rose really ought to check. Sadly, Sirius was canny to her plan and stopped her from moving with the slightest tensing of his hand.

"Rosebud" he began casually, like they were merely discussing plans for the prank everyone knew was coming. "Did we get invited somewhere?" Rose wanted nothing more than to vehemently disavow any knowledge of invitations whatsoever, but was epically incapable of lying to her friends.

"Christmaswithmyparents" she said quickly, looking at the time. "Is that the time? We should've been in bed-"

"What was that first bit?" Sirius asked in that airy, light, conversational tone she knew meant nothing good.

"Mum and Dad wrote and basically ordered me to bring you for Christmas" Rose told them all, curling inwards. "I don't want them to overreact and make me leave Hogwarts. I can't, I won't-"

"That is not going to happen" James announced clearly. "I think your parents have more common sense than that. At least your Dad does. Mum's are always more emotional."

"Mine is" Sirius shrugged, easily lightening the mood. "If by emotional you mean insane, bitter and bigoted." Lily shook her head at them, leaving the Marauders stuff to the Marauders.

"So, are you coming for Christmas, or not?"

"Coming" all four male Marauders chorused in perfect unison. Rose rolled her eyes but smiled; she knew that the holiday would be good for all of them. Mary broke the moment by yawning and dropping off to sleep, that seeming to be the cue for everyone not a Marauder to yawn, stretch, and then go up to bed. The Marauders just couldn't be bothered and went to sleep where they were, Rose hearing James and Sirius playfully bicker as she drifted off.

* * *

Remus had ice in his eyes as he glared down at Avery, the idiot having the audacity to laugh about muggle-borns (in that case, Rose) being tortured. Sirius was shaking out his hand, having decked the bastard, and James was being physically restrained by Peter to stop him from doing something he would regret. "Let me go, Peter, I want to strangle the bastard" James hissed, the look on his face one of revenge and damn the consequences. Fortunately, or unfortunately in the case of Avery, everybody else was in their second period potions class, and not able to bear witness to the incredible stupidity of the Slytherin. Rose had her hand on Sirius' chest, hoping to calm him before his temper landed them all in trouble. His grey eyes blazed with hatred and the savage pleasure that came with cold-cocking someone, but he drew her into his arms - as much for himself as it was to save Avery from his temper. It was Remus that really worried her though. She had rarely seen him let his territorial side out with the full force of its anger. She could almost sense the wolf pacing in the back of his mind.

"Do you know why they call me the responsible Marauder, Avery?" Remus growled, eerily like the wolf sensing prey. "I'll tell you. It's because I read the rules before I break them." He glanced over at the still-restrained James and Sirius. "Would you mind if we skipped potions class again?"

"I can't see how we would mind, Moony" James replied eerily calmly. "After all, the Girls do want the Marauders back."

"I'd be more worried about Avery, myself" Rose smirked, feeling the tension ease from Sirius' body. "Lily told me that he's failing potions."

"Frankly, Rosebud" Sirius began with a dangerous smirk of his own. "I couldn't give a flying flobberworm about Avery."

"Me neither" Peter added, releasing his grip on James's arm. The stag animagus shook out the limb and looked thoughtfully at their resident werewolf.

"What exactly do you have in mind, Moony?" Remus gave them what could only be described as an evil grin. "Okay, what do you need, Moony?"

"Access to the stores, a distraction, Peeves, and impeccable timing" he smirked, grabbing Avery by the arm. "Pete, knock this moron out and shove him in the trunk. We'll be needing him later." James got a nod and continued with the typical pre-prank job delegation.

"Pads, you're on distraction duty. I do believe the fifth years are in Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall currently, if you feel the need to be inventive. Moony, tell me what you need and I'll find it in the stores and then grab Pads and join you. Astra, you and Moony need to go and recruit Peeves to the plan. We'll meet up in the-"

"Courtyard" Remus interrupted with an bigger smirk than usual.

"As our furry little friend says" James agreed, practically rubbing his hands with glee. "And we'll take it from there." Peter and Avery went for their little walk, while Remus whispered intently to a fully smirking James.

"What are you going to do?" Rose asked Sirius, grinning at the mischief in his eyes.

"Nothing much, just an old classic" Sirius shrugged with a casual grace. "Prongs slipped me the Cloak, and I'm gonna pelt Reggie and his mates with dungbombs."

"How very third year" Rose approved, nodding in consideration. "It's a pity you don't have time to redo Operation Ectoplasm." Sirius' eyes widened, and he kissed her full on the mouth.

"You, my darling Rosebud, are a genius" he announced, setting her down. "Oi, Prongs! You and I need a bit more time." The stag animagus looked over with raised eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Indiscriminate pranking, Old Boy" Sirius smirked, bouncing on the spot. "We're going to slime 'em."

"A prank that big is the perfect distraction" Remus offered cheerfully. "Rosie and I will join you after we've got Peeves to help us."

"No need" James cracked his knuckles. "We've got this."

Finding Peeves wasn't the problem - catching him was. The poltergeist always knew when it would be best for him to stay put, and promptly bounced around doing the exact opposite. "This is getting ridiculous" Remus announced, racing down the charms corridor after the elusive poltergeist.

"Then give him what he wants" Rose recommended, nodding at the convenient broom cupboard next to them.

"He'll raise hell with it" Remus groaned, then promptly shrugged. "But if it works." He 'borrowed' a well-worn broom (Filch's favourite) from the cupboard. "Peeves! We've got Filch's broom!" The luridly coloured poltergeist hurtled towards them.

"Ooh, Filchy won't be happy. Tell him I should" Peeves said innocently, far too innocently. He swooped and made a grab for it, but got conked for his troubles.

"Peeves, we're the Marauders - the ones who taught you how to pull the bust prank, and how to sneak into Sluggys office" Rose reminded him. "And we've got you a present. But it wouldn't be fair to give you the present if, say, you wouldn't go and force everyone out of the Great Hall ten minutes after lunch starts." Peeves snapped to a salute.

"It would be the honour and glory of this poltergeist!" He grabbed the broom and sped off down the corridor.

"You haven't given us much time, Rosie" Remus sighed, running his hand though his hair. "Come on, we've got some things to set up."

* * *

Sitting on the other side of the frozen courtyard, the Marauders laid in wait. Peter, in his rat form, chittered nervously on the other side of the doors, his job to watch for the hoard of coming students. James had his wand at the ready, eyes fixed on the doors. At precisely the allotted time, a loud roar of 'PEEVES' came from within the castle, Peter running across the courtyard to join them. Sirius drew his wand, sharing a smirk with James. The castle doors blew open with a crash, students and professors alike staring in confusion at the apparently empty courtyard. Marlene's voice murmured the name that they all blamed, and rightly so. "Marauders." With the perfect synchronicity of five wands moving together as one, all hell promptly broke loose. Peter removed the disillusionment charm on Avery, James and Sirius set off carefully hidden bundles of fireworks, and Remus and Rose cast a simple atmospheric charm to make it snow lightly - the snow then flashing gold and silver and shaping itself into the wolf, rat, stag, dog and unicorn of the Marauders. To the observer, it looked like Avery was suspended in mid air, surrounded by fireworks that shaped an M and the symbols of the Marauders. Adding to the carnival atmosphere were the rotten fruit/vegetables that fired from cannons (also concealed around the courtyard) and hit Avery with every shot. Sirius' smirk grew with every cabbage aimed unerringly at Avery's broken nose. Remus' real genius was that every time Avery struggled and tried to scream for help, all that came out was the words he'd said to infuriate the Marauders on an endless loop. Torture is too good for mudbloods like her; they deserve everything they'll get. McGonagall stepped in front of the students, mouth thinning at the words and the prank. James swirled his wand, Avery shutting up and dropping to the ground. The fireworks continued for the amusement of the students; the Marauders had made their point.

* * *

The Marauders went different ways after grabbing lunch in the kitchens. Remus dragged a protesting Peter to their Arithmancy class, while the others climbed the long way up to the North Tower and Divination. Sirius and James chatted idly with Sir Cadogan as they waited, the knight gleefully challenging them to duels every ten seconds. Hestia and Dorcas grinned at them from amidst a few Ravenclaws, a certain blonde female absent from the ranks of the swots. "Looks like Moony's got a date again" Sirius muttered, James grinning widely at him.

"He'd be in with a shot if he could ever get over himself" Rose muttered, Sirius barking out a laugh of agreement.

"I will never understand you Marauders" Hestia announced, walking over so that all the Gryffindors were together.

"You're never meant to understand us, Jones" James told her cheerfully. "That would rid us of all our mystery. You wouldn't want to be responsible for the loss of our mysteriousness ."

"Whereas you lot wouldn't want to be responsible full stop" Dorcas muttered, but her eyes were shining.

"You wanted the Marauders back" Sirius reminded them. "You got us."

"I think the whole school got that memo, Sirius" Hestia smiled. "That prank was the perfect blend of Marauder and making a point."

"Avery opened his stupid mouth" Sirius growled, briefly showing the man that had fought in Hogsmeade. "We merely dispensed justice."

"You broke his nose, Siri" Rose pointed out, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"He deserved it" Sirius replied flatly.

"There'll be worse said than that about me by the time this war is over, Siri" Rose smiled sadly. "I'm a mudblood, you know." Sirius cast her a dark look.

"Don't." Not caring about the sixth years around them, Rose cupped his jaw, forcing him to look at her. To understand.

"My sister is one too, Siri, but maybe if I say it loud and often enough they'll ignore her and come after me. And I'm not afraid of that, because I know that you will never let anything happen to me." His eyes closed, but even pained by her, he still looked unfairly handsome.

"We're all targets anyway, Rosebud" Sirius whispered, his words just for her, although James was close enough to overhear. His hands pulled her closer to him. "Painting a bullseye on your back isn't going to save your sister from them. Leave that to Prongs." Sirius pinned her with a gaze that was just a little too intense. "I can't watch anything happen to you again. I won't do it." Her heart broke at the pain and remembered fear in his eyes; they weren't just words, every word he said was the truth.

"I can't stand by and do nothing, Siri" she said, pouring what she couldn't say into the words. "But, I solemnly swear, I won't put you through that again." Sirius visibly struggled to find words, finally heaving an aggrieved sigh and kissing her. He poured his feelings into the kiss, and Rose tried her best to reply and not just get swept up in him. Sirius was a walking contraction; dangerous but the safest person on Earth, confident but lost, aristocratic but so down to earth, an unredeemable flirt but loyal to a fault.

"Oi! Pads! Late for class!" James yelled, his smirk bright in his voice. Sirius groaned, clearly unhappy to be reminded. They climbed the ladder to the classroom, ignoring the chattering that came as they took their usual seats in the very back of the class.

"Well, at least we stopped the rumours" Sirius said dryly. Rose raised an eyebrow curiously.

"What rumours?"

"You and Moony." James shrugged as if it was nothing. Rose choked on thin air and giggled.

"Rem? No!" Sirius and James shared dumbfounded looks.

"Er, should we be offended on Moony's behalf?" James wondered, Rose still giggling like mad.

"No" she shook her head, trying to get rid of the mental image. "Godric. That would be like snogging you, James. Ew." She leaned back against the wall, now in gales.

"Now I'm getting offended, Rose" James informed her, frowning. "What is it with you Evans'? Would you rather kiss the Giant Squid too?"

"No, just Sirius" Rose shrugged, not getting what his problem was. Sirius shook his head at James, both looking confused. To be fair, Sirius also looked pleased with himself, but adorably clueless. "What?"

"Sorry, Pads" James said in advance. He cleared his throat and turned his hazel gaze on her. "Rosie, tell me, what is so great about Pads that you, and probably the entirety of the female Hogwarts population, would rather snog him than Remus, Peter or myself?" Rose rolled her eyes. Sirius just slapped James upside the head.

"It is a reasonable question" Sirius conceded, after James glared at him some. Rose sighed, and tried to think of a way to explain.

"First, James, you are our quidditch star, you have a gaggle of girls following you around hoping you'll get tired of going stag to Hogsmeade. Second, just look at Sirius." James spluttered, but Sirius hummed in agreement. "Third, Pete's too shy and Rem has Raven Lovegood waiting for him to stop his martyred act. And, speaking purely for myself, the reason the thought of fancying Rem or Pete or you is hilarious is because that would be fancying my brothers. Incest does not work for me."

"I'm your brother?" James looked absurdly touched.

"You're only just getting that now?" Rose shook her head fondly. "Honestly, Prongs, it's no wonder everyone thinks you're a bit slow." Sirius barked a laugh.

"I thought that was because he can't understand the word 'no' and keeps stalking Evans" he smirked, ducking away from the teapot James threw at him.

"Sod off, Padfoot. And I don't stalk Lily." He glanced at Rose. "And nor am I ridiculously overprotective of her."

"Please" Rose scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You once camped out on the bottom of the girls dormitory steps because you thought - and I quote - that Lily was up there having a tea party with an acromantula, two hags, a vampire and a banshee." James scowled at her, elbowing Sirius in a vain attempt to stop his laughter.

"I miss old lightweight Prongs" Sirius sighed nostalgically. "So susceptible after so little firewhiskey."

"You're a bastard" James glowered, sulking back into his chair. Fortunately, the Divination professor, Professor Snotra, chose that moment to enter in a cloud of heavily perfumed pink smoke. "Good Godric" James muttered, holding back his laughter. "Upshe rises."

"A galleon says she starts with dire predictions and moves us on to reading tea leaves again" Sirius wagered, James nodding once to seal the bet.

"Good afternoon, class" Snotra called in her spaced out voice. Peter had lasted all of one class before asking if she was a remnant of the hippie movement. He then spent detention tie-dyeing fabric. "The skills you use in Divination are never more important than today."

"Because drinking tea and staring into a ball is just so much more useful than learning spells and hexes and curses" Rose whispered sarcastically.

"Dark forces cloud the Sight" Snotra announced dramatically. "We must brave this storm, and seek to see beyond the darkness to the truth within. The Grim lurks within all we see. Come, fill your teapots and look, look within to understand the signs the Sight will show you. Fear not, for enlightenment will brighten this darkness and all shall See again." Rose summoned their absent teapot with a sigh, joining the queue to get it filled with the representatives of the rest of the class.

Hazel eyes blinked as they scanned the interior of a rose patterned teacup. "I see a little squiggly line" James gasped, widening his eyes dramatically. "It must mean that Moony's going to say that we're wasting our time with this crap."

"Or, it might mean that Lily's going to yell at you again" Rose offered helpfully, swirling her tea in the cup.

"You know you're supposed to exchange cups, right?" Hestia checked, leaning over the back of her armchair. Sirius grinned and promptly grabbed James's cup.

"Definitely getting yelled at by Evans, mate, sorry." He sounded anything but. "And, oh, looks like you'll be travelling somewhere soon."

"You're making it up" Dorcas laughed, pretending to find something gleeful in Hestia's cup when Snotra looked over. James grabbed Rose's cup from her saucer, Marauder smirk firmly lighting up his handsome features.

"Rosie, yours says that you're going to unexpectedly have to deal with me hexing your-" Sirius growled at him.

"Oi! You're pissed with me, fine, don't take it out on my Rosebud." James rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"You're right. Sorry, Rosie. You've got a sun, happiness. Gingerbread man, obviously Christmas related. So maybe you're going to have a happy Christmas" James tilted his head. "Good news for us. Er, there's a star, don't need to guess what that means, Astra. There's a dog, also no surprise. A distant dagger, we already know danger is coming. Oh, and a wreath - Christmas again?"

"How can one cup hold so much?" Rose deadpanned, slumping back against the seat.

"Maybe you've got a busy cup?" James suggested, yawning and ruffling his hair.

"Godric help us" Rose rolled her eyes. "Prongs , is that Lily over there?"

"Where?!" James turned around and flailed wildly, falling out of his chair with a splat. Sirius' laughter filled the room with a warm, happy sound, and James picked himself up with a scowl.

"Not funny, Rosie."

"Padfoot thought it was" Rose beamed innocently, Dorcas nodding in agreement.

"He did" the brunette smiled. "And, if it helps, Hestia and I thought it was pretty funny too."

"The great James Potter, quidditch hero and Marauder, splat on the ground at the thought of Lily Evans" Sirius announced dramatically, like the quidditch commentator he was when Gryffindor wasn't playing. "And the crowd doesn't give a Flobberworm."

"Piss off, Padfoot" James muttered, unable to hold back a laugh.

"Your cup said you'd say that" Sirius smirked, eyes twinkling merrily.

"Why do we still take this class?" James wondered, shaking his head.

"It's brilliant entertainment value" Rose grinned, pouring herself another cup of tea.

"And you're always up for a lesson where you can nap and drink tea?" Hestia added, holding out a plate of biscuits. "You're not the only ones with access to kitchens. Try one, they're my mum's."

"Tea and biscuits" Dorcas picked one up. "How terribly British of us."

"We are English" Hestia pointed out. "I wonder how the others are spending their lesson."

"Studiously , if we know Moony" James decided, nibbling on a biscuit thoughtfully. Hestia glanced at them with a furrowed brow.

"Why do you call him Moony? It makes no sense." Sirius leaned back, taking his chair up on only two legs

"On the contrary, Jones" he winked, pushing his chair to the limits. "It does make sense, it makes perfect sense - from a Marauder point of view."

"From a Marauder point of view?" Dorcas' eyebrows rose into her fringe. "Nobody understands the Marauder point of view."

"Marauders do" Rose smiled, James and Sirius nodding in agreement.

"You're all mental" Hestia told them seriously.

"Kookie, if you please" Sirius requested, charming to the last. Hestia threw her hands up into the air.

"Marauders!"

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:**

**Hi all! Today is November 3! Which means, canonically, Sirius Black's birthday!**

**To celebrate, here's a new chapter!**

**Unfortunately, this one is perhaps a little darker than some of my others. But next chapter, more fluff and Christmas!**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Bitter wind howled through the cracked window, snow dancing beside scraps of parchment and Droobles Best Blowing Gum wrappers. Mary screamed hysterically, rocking back and forth and waving her wand around like a madwoman . Emmeline sat with her back to the window, trying to calm her hysterical friend. Alice was being tended to by Lily, a large cut from broken glass on her face and hands. Dorcas and Hestia hid in the bathroom for safety, while Marlene and Rose had their wands trained on their friend and hated every moment of it. "What in Godric's name happened?" Rose demanded, looking to her twin (the most gifted witch in their year) for answers. Lily's heartbroken emerald eyes reflected her helplessness and fear, she didn't know.

"She was fine, we were laughing about finally going home for the holidays" Emmeline spoke up, wringing her hands nervously. "Then we passed some Slytherin's."

_"Mulciber"_ Marlene spat, Mary's screaming increasing in it's volume. Rose felt sick.

"What about the Snake?"

"Him, Black (not your one, the other one) and Nott were talking about Avery having the right idea" Emmeline whispered, her already pale skin paling even further. "I heard them mention the Unforgivables."

"Avery mentioned torture during your prank" Alice remembered, turning cornflower eyes on Rose. "It isn't-?"

"The _Cruciatus?_ No." Rose shook her head, angry at what had been done to her sweet friend. "That would be much more painful for her. Mary wouldn't be able to move like that, let alone hold a wand. The Cruciatus is the most unimaginable agony that feels like it won't ever stop, and you can feel yourself nearly going mad from it." Alice made a horrified noise, looking as ill as Rose felt. "If I'm right, and what James and Sirius have described is true, then it's the First."

"The First?" Marlene's face begged Rose not to be saying what she thought she was.

"The Imperius Curse" Lily muttered, blood draining from her cheeks.

"Botched, by the look of it."

"Why?" Alice stood up, fury on every part of her warm face. "Why would Mulciber do that to her? Use an Unforgivable?"

"Mary's a muggle-born" Lily said quietly, pieces coming together. "They need no more excuse than that." Rose felt her scars tingling and pushed away the urge to scream. It was so unfair; Mary was one of the sweetest girls in the world, she didn't deserve this. "Rosie" Lily pushed her wand down gently, her own taking it's place. "Go get McGonagall. You Marauders know the fastest way to her office. Please, _hurry."_

Sirius and James met her at the bottom of the stairs, alarm on their handsome faces. "We heard a scream before it muffled" James rushed out. "Is everyone-?"

"No time. Mary." Rose shook her head, grabbing their hands. "McGonagall." Not for the first time, Rose was grateful that the Marauders could read each other so well. James and Sirius just shared a look and dragged her to the Portrait Hole, the Fat Lady opening with a muffled groan of unhappiness. James led the way, long since having memorised the way to their Head of House's rooms; they never knew when they might need to have one of them run interference for the others. Rose, for once, wasn't thinking of such things, her mind focused on getting to McGonagall and finding a way to help Mary. It was Sirius who made sure that she didn't bump into anything on their fevered run to the right room, his arm wrapping around her as James pounded on the unremarkable door. McGonagall opened the door a fraction, wrapped in a red dressing gown and frown.

"Potter! What in Merlin's name-?!"

"Professor, it's Mary" Rose interrupted desperately. "We think she's been Imperised. Only it didn't work. Please, this isn't a prank. You have to come _quickly."_ McGonagall didn't waste any more time on words, she just strode through the corridors and let nothing get in her way.

* * *

The common room was as empty as when the Marauders left, every sane person asleep in their beds. "You three, wait down here" McGonagall instructed, pointing at the cluster of seats by the banked fireplace. James flicked his wand, the flames burning merrily once again. Rose leant into Sirius, letting his warmth and safety remove the shock from her body. His arms pulled her tight against his chest, his body as tense as a bow string. James sat down heavily opposite them, his hazel eyes unreadable.

"Someone Imperised Mary?" James demanded, anger burning in his voice. "Who? How?"

"Emmeline said they passed some Slytherins on their way up to bed tonight" Rose repeated dutifully. No secrets. "Mary reacted badly when Marlene said Mulciber's name. She was screaming already, but it got worse, Prongs."

"Mulciber couldn't charm a spider into making a web" James growled. "How could he-" His voice trailed off as he realised. "Botched? He used an Unforgivable just to practice? And didn't bloody cast it properly?!"

"Don't wake up the castle, Prongs" Sirius warned quietly, his own fury smoldering in his voice. "Who else was there, Rosebud?"

"Nott" Rose replied, not wanting to say Regulus and ignite the anger within the dog animagus. "Em said that they overheard them talking about how Avery had it right, and that the Cruciatus curse was too good for muggle-borns."

"Nott is a fifth year" Sirius stated far too calmly. His brilliant mind had already put the pieces together. Now he just deserved the confirmation. "His best friend is-"

"Regulus" Rose agreed, closing her eyes tightly. She couldn't stop seeing Mary screaming and sending random curses around the dormitory. "Merlin, Siri. Is this how you felt?"

"Along the same lines" he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. The pain in his voice was fresh and deep. Worry for Mary, anger and concern for what his brother was getting up to. "Is there any part of my family that isn't going to be a Death Eater?"

"Andromeda?" James suggested, the first Black to dishonour the family. Sirius' betrayal worse because he was the heir.

"Potter, Black" McGonagall called, her eyes gentle with understanding in the firelight. "Miss MacDonald will be well, we're going to take her to the Hospital Wing soon." Rose slumped in relief, letting out a shaky breath. Sirius dropped his head to her shoulder, feeling the same relief. "Just this once, look after Miss Evans tonight. Her sister seems under the impression that this incident has brought back recent memories."

"Thank you, Professor" Sirius said, oddly solemn.

"Nothing to thank. Now, bed! Off with you!"

* * *

James took it upon himself to explain the nights events to the inhabitants of the sixth year boys dormitory. Frank and Benjy were instantly on their feet, demanding to know why they hadn't been told before, while Rose just felt so drained that she wanted the whole thing to be over now. James skillfully handled the situation, calming the tension with a few well-chosen words. Remus tossed aside his book (a heavy volume on the study of Ancient Runes) and drew a calming breath in through his nose. With a wave of his wand, his parchment rolled up and drifted to his cabinet, his green eyes following it absently. Peter's eyes burned with fire, his fists clenched in anger, jaw clenching on and off. "Hogsmeade really was just the beginning, wasn't it?" Silence greeted Peter's words, nobody wanting to admit that he was right, that somebody should have seen that and prepared for it.

"School is supposed to be safe" Lily's voice murmured from the doorway, Alice already in Frank's arms.

"There's nowhere safer" James smiled sadly. "Which is a sad commentary on the state of the wizarding world." Remus sighed his agreement, a collage of articles cut from the Prophet on the wall behind him.

"Not a word about it when we get home" Lily warned, eyes burning.

"You're right" Rose agreed quietly, the Marauders looking at her in surprise. Unsurprisingly, it was Sirius who first understood.

"The war is coming whether we go to Hogwarts or not" he said thoughtfully. "Stopping you from coming back will only make it worse on you all. And" his eyes twinkled as he pulled Rose closer to his side. "Christmas isn't the time to have bad news. Only happy news, like Mary being fine in the morning."

"Or Mulciber being expelled?" Alice added hopefully.

"Dumbledore will never let that happen" James growled, running a hand through his hair. He wore a hole in the carpet with his pacing, Lily's hand on his arm stopping him. A question was shining in her eyes. "He will always give his students the benefit of the doubt. Mulciber might get suspended if we're lucky, otherwise we might have to resign ourselves to hearing that we have no proof that the scumbag-" James broke off with a cough, eyes meeting Sirius' calmly. "He's going to be let off, isn't he?"

"Naturally" Sirius replied, his tone dripping with disgust. "Nobody will take a muggle-borns word over a pureblood. My family's been getting away with things for years using that rationale." He turned and sent a fist flying into his bedpost. "You stupid bastard, Reggie. He's going to get himself killed." Rose watched on helplessly, unable to do anything to take away his pain and worry for the brother who would soon be his enemy. James laid his hand on his shoulder, silently offering strength and compassion.

"It's late." Remus' voice broke the silence eventually. "We've got our last day of class in the morning, and we've got to pack for the holidays afterwards."

"Mulciber might not be able to spell for shit, but the snake's got a good sense of timing" James muttered, meeting the Marauders' eyes significantly. "I only wonder at what he wanted to make Mary do."

"Not thinking about that tonight, Prongs" Sirius replied tiredly. "Moony's right. We need to get some sleep."

"Are you pranking me, Black?" Remus demanded, eyes shining with playful mirth. Sirius rolled his eyes in reply, shaking his head at the bookish werewolf.

"Moony, Moony, Moony" Sirius tutted, throwing his concern covers back like this happened every night. "Don't be a pillock. I'm a Marauder; if I were pranking you, you'd bloody well know about it." Rose saw Remus throw up his hands in sheer exasperation, a giggle escaping her lips. Sirius winked at her, pleased with himself. Of course he was, that was Sirius Black's default setting. Lily crossed to Rose, hugging her tightly.

"You sure you're going to be okay here tonight, Rosie?" Rose laughed softly, stepping back from her sister.

"There's nowhere in the world that's safer, Lil" she murmured, just for her twin to hear. "One day, you'll see that too." Lily only smiled sadly, turning to face the other Marauders.

"Black!" Sirius' grey eyes shone with solemn sincerity.

"I solemnly swear" he promised, not even letting Lily say a thing. Rose raised her eyebrow at him but he just shook his head minutely, telling her not to press it. James let out a yawn, faceplanting in his pillow. Lily laughed softly at his antics, Alice kissing Frank once before leaving with her friend. Benjy groaned at the clock, slamming his curtains shut with a rude mumble about the sodding Slytherins bloody timing. Frank shrugged at them and followed his friend's example, his curtains closing with a gentle swish. Snoring was already coming from Peter's bed, and James's chest rose and fell with even breaths; the stag was asleep too. In a bed nearby, Remus had his head buried under the covers, the werewolf doing his usual trick of talking himself to sleep after a stressful day. "It's the Muttering Moony Show" Sirius quipped, his eyes impossibly soft. "One more day and we're off for Christmas."

"Dad's going to love you all coming" Rose smiled, trying to keep the mood light. The memory of Mary's screams broke in, Rose's eyes squeezing shut in a vain attempt to get rid of it. "How long can we keep pretending? How long do we have to act like the war isn't happening outside these castle walls? What's going to stop it from coming inside again?"

"As long as it takes, just a little while longer, and Dumbledore" Sirius said softly, lip tweaking up in amusement. Rose longed to be persuaded and reassured by his words, but a little voice chattered at back of her head.

"And what if we can't? What if we lose, Siri?"

"We can, because we're the Marauders" Sirius told her firmly, grey eyes holding her in place. "And there's nothing that we can't do if we do it together. Prongs may be irritating when he says it, but he's right. And if we lose, my darling, then we'll lose fighting for what we believe in, for freedom from puritanical bigots like my family, from murdering bastards like Voldemort and my deranged cousin. If we lose, it won't matter, because when we lived it was for what we believed in, for friendship and family, not for hatred. If we lose, we'll lose together, and by Godric we'll put up one hell of a fight." Sirius caressed her face gently. "We have a future worth fighting for, and I'm not going to let anyone forget it; least of all the Death Eaters trying to take it away from us." One look into those impossible grey eyes and Rose felt her concerns swept away. Lips gently met her own, both pouring every ounce of faith, trust and unspoken love into the kiss. She fell into his embrace, safe from the whole world and everything in it.

* * *

Elsewhere in England, men and women in black robes and skull masks descended upon a small muggle village. They swept through the town like a plague - killing, burning and torturing everything in their path. Savage laughs and chanting mixed with the screams of the dying, tormented muggles. Bellatrix Lestrange cackled madly, deadly beautiful as she danced through the village, her wand blazing with light - a beautiful instrument of death, just like its mistress. Blood pooled in the gutters, death and despair infusing the very air. Frost crawled over the windows, creatures in tattered black cloaks flew over the town, sucking deeply from the banquet before them. Pale skinned ethereal beings joined the mayhem, bending over prone bodies, fangs stuck in the soft flesh, blood running down their chins. A smoky green skull and snake watched over the chaos, approving like only its creator could. This wasn't an attack, it was nothing more or less than fun - a show of what the Death Eaters could do without even trying. War had reached the muggles, and they wouldn't even know it.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**Next chapter... Christmas in Cokeworth**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:**

**Hi all! After nearly a week of nothing, I'm back!**

**The last chapter hotted some of the war aspects up a bit, but now we're off for some Christmas fluff in coming chapters. First though, we have to meet Mr and Mrs Evans, and deal with their questions about Hogsmeade.**

**Also, credit to a bit of dialogue inspired by the Big Bang Theory.**

**Anyway, please enjoy!**

* * *

Gryffindors bustled through the common room, trunks and owls, cats and toads transported out through the Portrait Hole. Record numbers of students were going home for the holidays. Normally, the Marauders would happily have promptly signed up to stay (nothing called to them more than a virtually empty castle to have the run of), but they were ready to go as well. Sirius crossed his arms, dressed in his best heir to House Black clothing, his foot tapping impatiently. James stood next to him, head buried in that mornings copy of the Daily Prophet, casual in jeans and a red and white plaid shirt, leather jacket resting on his trunk. Peter had his upper body in his own trunk, searching for Merlin only knew what, emerging in jeans and an awful orange Christmas jumper patterned with a large snowman. Remus had gone smart casual in black trousers and a dark grey jumper, Gryffindor scarf ready to wind around his neck, overcoat waiting on his trunk. A trunk (this one marked with the letters RME) floated out of the Girls Staircase, the male Marauders sighing in relief. Rose followed her trunk out, smiling radiantly at her friends. Her purple cords and black plaid shirt were mostly hidden by a sheepskin coat that she snuggled further into. Sirius smiled fondly, wrapping his own scarf around her neck. "Are we finally ready to go, Rosebud?"

"Don't blame me, Siri" she glared playfully. "Lily couldn't find Snowflake and refused to go without the furball."

"I wasn't leaving without my cat, Rosie" Lily huffed, rolling her eyes at her sister. "I just taught her to scratch Petunia. You wouldn't deprive me of the pleasure of seeing that, would you?"

"I'd pay galleons to see that" James agreed absently. "We ready to go?"

"On your mark, Prongs" Remus smiled, wand waving over his trunk and cage containing his owl (a Horned Owl named Glimfeather), the items lifting into the air. Peter's screech owl, a tiny little thing called Smudge, hooted in excitement, setting off Sirius' Great Grey Owl Archimedes (names for all of Sirius' creative invocations of Merlin's name).

"Belt up, Archie" Sirius drawled, Lily doing a double take at his formal attire.

"You're going to miss the train" Marlene announced, appearing in the portrait hole.

"That's what I've been saying for ages" James groaned, Sirius patting him patronisingly on the shoulder and winking as he muttered under his breath. "You're an arsehole, Pads." Sirius nodded in unfazed agreement, his whole bearing screaming tell me something I don't know. The handsome Marauder waved his wand casually, chivalrously taking care of Rose's trunk and owl cage as well as his own.

* * *

The Marauders' usual compartment was more full than it had ever been. Lily and the Girls were packed in with them, Marlene bringing a wireless in with her. James muffled the compartment, his wand moving in gentle circles. The non-Marauders looked worried, so Rose hurried to reassure them. "We don't like being overhead. It's just a habit. Never know when someone might be eavesdropping."

"Exactly" Sirius agreed, his eyes smiling. Marlene rolled her eyes, but turned on her wireless, a new Christmas wizarding single - Driving Home For Christmas - playing cheerfully.

"How appropriate" Remus remarked dryly. "Why couldn't it be White Christmas? I like that one."

"Because it's not the fifties anymore, Rem" Rose grinned, Sirius' voice singing quietly along with the words.

"It doesn't have to be the fifties for someone to enjoy the song" Lily spoke up, Remus beaming at her. "Dad likes it."

"Your father is a man of rare taste" Remus praised, Sirius inclining his head thoughtfully. Rose hid a smile, knowing what was coming.

"Jim's not a bad sort. I quite like him."

"I can't believe he lets you call him that" Lily gaped, her mouth hanging open.

"Insists on it, actually" James sighed, pretending to be put upon. Lily made a noise of disbelief and was pulled into conversation with her friends, leaving the Marauders to their own devices. Sirius and James started talking about the upcoming (after the Christmas holidays) Gryffindor versus Slytherin quidditch match. James' hands waved about, illustrating whatever point he was trying to make. Sirius rolled his eyes, head shaking as his own hands gestured in opposition to James. Remus wisely pulled out a book, a content smile on his face as he explored the world of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Rose saw Peter pull his beanie over his eyes, settling down for a nap away from the cheerful conversations. For her part, she just watched the countryside passing by, enjoying the comforting sounds of the company she was with. For the first time in weeks (not counting the times she was safe with Sirius), Rose felt herself relax and trust that nothing was going to happen to them; not while they were all together. Sirius' arm wrapped loosely around her waist, the tiniest hint of contact that they didn't even realise they actively sought out. Hestia gave her a curious look but otherwise didn't comment; the young witch had enough on her mind without bringing up 'interpersonal relationships'.

* * *

Darkness was falling, casting shadows on the icy grounds outside the train windows. Winter Wonderland played quietly from the wireless, the festive music weaving its spell on the sixth year Gryffindors. Lily smiled brightly, her emerald eyes twinkling like Christmas fairy lights. "It's really Christmas" she breathed, excited like a little girl. James looked away, resigned pain in his face.

"Did old Flitwick have live fairies in his classes?" Sirius asked, giving James a moment not to be so distracted.

"You'd know if you ever bothered turning up to class, Black" Emmeline smirked, getting an even look in reply.

"Marauders have better things to do" Remus replied offhandedly; Marauders closed ranks around each other - they took no crap from anybody, except each other. Sirius shot him a grin, a perfect orb of light dancing on his palm.

"We don't actually need to attend classes, Vance" James clarified helpfully. "We tend to learn ahead of the curve."

"Very far ahead of the curve" Remus agreed proudly. Lily broke the lowering cloud of tension.

"I've given up trying to understand the Marauders. You're impossible."

"We're not that hard to understand" James told her sadly. "Everything we do, we do for each other. We're family, a pack, a team. We make mischief and have fun because that's what we do, but-" He shook his head, drifting off. Sirius continued , voice lined with steel.

"But Merlin help anyone that tries to mess with us."

"I think Hogsmeade showed that" Alice murmured, each falling into their own thoughts. Remus fell asleep opposite Rose, James and Sirius starting a game of wizarding chess, and the others drifted off in their own directions to explore the train. Rose took advantage of the extra room and stretched out, James smiling at the sight of her.

"We need to shake off this cloud" the stag animagus said suddenly, prodding his sacrificial pawn forward.

"And how do you recommend we do that, Prongs?" Remus asked sleepily, eyes still shut. A conniving smirk spread across James's face.

"Thank you for asking, Moony" he winked, not noticing as Sirius' queen killed his Knight. "I, Mr Prongs, Marauder of the most noble order of the stag, hereby suggest that we again do the impossible." He leaned forward, a manic light in his hazel eyes. Sirius prodded Peter with his toe, Peter grumbling but pulling his beanie back up properly. "Ta, Pads." James grinned, puffing his chest out in exaggerated importance. "We (that is, myself, Mr Moony of the most protective order of the wolf, Mr Wormtail of the most canny order of the rat, Lady Astra of the most pure order of the unicorn, and Mr Padfoot of the most loyal order of the dog), are going to enjoy every minute of this Christmas holiday-"

"Ooh, that's impossible" Sirius smirked, James ignoring him with ease.

"And then we're going to show everyone how to have fun even in the middle of the war." Sirius held up a hand, then stuck his head out of the compartment door.

"Prongsie is a genius!"

"I thought you didn't prank people on the train" Lily yelled back, not missing a beat. The offense Rose expected to see on James wasn't there, a besotted smile on his face. Remus followed her eyes and groaned.

"You're not done with her, are you?" James stared out into the corridor wistfully.

"Our children will be smart and beautiful." Sirius' eyes rolled in direct contravention to the laws of physics.

"Not to mention _imaginary,_ mate."

"Now how do you know?" James demanded, wagging a finger at Sirius' face. "How do you know?"

"Because he has eyes, Prongs" Remus offered, eyes twinkling in opposition to the innocence in his voice.

"Shall we have a wager?" James asked in the usual offhand way of Marauders making bets that they'd soon forget about.

"What are your terms?" Sirius drawled, bored. James smirked and whispered quickly to Rose. She nodded, that was genius.

"On the day that Lily and James inevitably have their smart and beautiful child-"

"You said that without sarcasm, Rosebud" Sirius interrupted, Peter muttering something under his breath about getting rooms. The rat animagus then squeaked as a heavy book (Remus', borrowed by Sirius) hit him in the stomach. Rose ignored Sirius' mischievous grin and carried on with the terms of the wager.

"When that event occurs, you three naysayers-"

_"Naysayers?"_ Remus repeated disbelievingly.

"Hush, Rem, I'm talking" Rose sniffed imperiously. "You three will all-"

"Stand up in public and announce that you bastards were horribly wrong and that Lily Evans and I have smart and beautiful children." He nodded to seal his words, impressed.

"Er, Prongs?" Peter raised a hand. "Why is Rose exempt?" James looked lost and shrugged.

"Because" Rose sighed, put-upon "that smart and beautiful child will be my niece or nephew."

"Right" Peter agreed sagely. "So, in this mystical universe where pigs fly and Evans wouldn't rather snog the Giant Squid, Padfoot is also exempt." James pinched the bridge of his nose, but visibly itched with curiosity.

"Okay, Wormy, explain your logic" James invited eventually. Sirius also had a raised eyebrow, waiting for Peter to elaborate.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Peter asked, eyes comically wide. "In a world where Evans is willing to put up with Prongs long enough to shag-"

"Oi!" James growled in warning. "That's the future mother of my child you're talking about."

"Yeah, dream on" Peter smirked, holding his hands up in surrender as James advanced upon him. "Anyway in that world, clearly anything can happen - including Sirius and Rosie getting hitched." Rose suddenly found the view of London approaching out of the window very interesting, Peter yelping after a thud or two.

"You know" Remus announced thoughtfully . "The rat has a point."

"Let's have a new agreement" Sirius proposed slowly. "You lot stop planning my- (sorry, Rosebud) _our_ relationship, and Prongs and I won't do horrible things to you, Wormtail."

"Deal" Peter said quickly, Remus laughing and shaking his head at them. Rose grinned at her friends.

"No more bickering, we're coming into Kings Cross."

"Thank Merlin for that" James groaned, throwing his hands into the air. "It's snowing, so wrap up warm all of you." Playful mock salutes replied to James's request, the stag digging in his trunk for his Gryffindor scarf and leather jacket. Rose waved her wand, tidying up the mess that their compartment had degenerated into, waiting for Lily to return and grab her things.

* * *

The Marauders joined the throng of students departing the train onto the platform. The Girls not Lily said their well wishes and hurried off to find their families in the dark smoke. Rose stood near a barrier, watching for their portkey and trying hard not to bounce up and down like an excited little girl. James jogged back over with their portkey (a vinyl sleeve of the Beatles' Rubber Soul album) and announced they had less than a minute to go until transport. Lily beamed and clapped her hands, bringing back a memory of another Christmas oh so many years before. Lily and Rose had always adored Christmas; the only reason the Marauders had spent so many of them at Hogwarts was a) Remus and his Furry Little Problem and b) Sirius and his insane, blood-puritan parents. The handsomest Marauder wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "You okay, Sweetheart?" Sirius whispered, breath warm on her ear. Rose took in the sight of her wizarding family, and half turned to Sirius, warmth glowing in her chest.

"Never better."

"We've got blueness!" Peter yelled, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Don't wet yourself, Wormtail" Sirius requested tiredly, reaching out a hand to touch the record cover. Rose felt the uncomfortable navel tug that typified portkey travel and squeezed her eyes shut, resigned to ending up flat on her back.

* * *

Carollers were singing The First Noel, to a one blind to six teenagers literally falling from the sky. Magic truly was a wonderful thing. The light dusting of snow had given the usually dreary town a festive look, welcomed by the two Cokeworth natives. Peter was lying on his back in the snow, giggling at the absurdity of it all, James and Remus leaning causally against trees. Lily had caught herself on a wall, looking around the street with a smile, and Rose was exactly where she wanted to be; safe in Sirius' arms. James shivered in the cool wind, stomping his feet to keep up circulation. "Which way to the Evans'?" Lily rolled her eyes, but happily led the way, Rose content to trail along behind with her friends. The portkey (arranged personally by James's auror uncle, Charlus Potter) had dropped them off less than five minutes from the Evans home. Lily saw the open front door and ran in, yelling excitedly for their mother. Rose, on the other hand, saw an oh so familiar hazel eyed, brown haired man leaning in the hallway, and broke off from the Marauders.

"Daddy!" Jim Evans smiled and swooped her up into a warm hug.

"There's my little star" Jim breathed, content. He pulled back and fixed her with a piercing gaze. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Literally never better, Dad" Rose assured him wholeheartedly. A little thing like torture from Bellatrix Lestrange wasn't going to stop her enjoying Christmas. Familiar footsteps signalled the arrival of the Marauders, Jim's smile widening at the sight of his adopted 'sons'. James got a half hug and a clap on the shoulder, Remus likewise. Peter went for a formal handshake and strolled off in search of food. Sirius' eyes widened in surprise as Jim pulled him in for a hug. Rose just smiled happily, her father had always liked Sirius.

"You're always welcome here" Jim said flatly, Sirius nodding his unspoken understanding. "Now, did you all eat on the train?"

"Only from the lunch trolley" Rose shrugged, hearing the blissful quiet that meant no Petunia.

"Petunia's out with Vernon" Jim made a face that said all it needed to about his thoughts on his future son-in-law. "Your mother's keeping a Shepherds Pie warm."

"I'm really not that hungry" Rose muttered, ignoring her father's concerned frown. Sirius had his back turned to them, hanging his coat up on the hook. Even still, Rose could feel the worried disapproval coming from him. "We practically bought out Honeydukes from that trolley." Silence. James and Remus shuffled off towards the kitchen, the cowards. Rose sighed and inwardly threw up her hands. "Fine. You win. Shall we go sample my mother's cooking?" Sirius took her coat and hung it up next to his own.

"I thought you'd never ask, Rosebud" Sirius replied, his eyes twinkling softly. "You coming, Jim?" Rose's father watched curiously and nodded once, Rose almost certain that she saw him wink at Sirius as they walked in.

* * *

The one thing you could always rely on the Marauders to be was distracting. And Rose was never more grateful for it than when her mother first laid eyes back upon her. "Rosie! Your father and I were so worried! How could you do that to us! Are you okay?"

"Mum!" Rose yelled, finally succeeding in stopping her ranting. "I'm fine. I'm home. It's Christmas. I really don't want to think about it at the moment." And she didn't. It was the last thing she wanted to be reminded of. Jim laid a hand on her mother's arm, giving her a look Rose recognised well.

"Violet, we've only just got them back for the holidays. Don't drive our daughter out now." Violet's mouth closed with a click, as if she was just remembering that they had company. Dinner passed in a tense sort of conversation, talking about everything but missing out on the best part of school in the Hogwarts infirmary - mostly because the Marauders controlled the conversation masterfully. Once every last morsel had been devoured, and the plates piled in the sink, Rose caught a wordless conversation taking place between her parents. The worry and fear that she had caused was still in their eyes, and Rose immediately felt horrible for lying to them. She felt torn between her family and staying with her friends. But they deserved to know, and James swore blind that they wouldn't try and stop Rose from going back to Hogwarts. But she needed-

"Sirius." He turned away from his conversation with James and the grin fell from his handsome face.

"What do you need, Rosebud?" In that moment, looking into his steady gaze, Rose knew that she could ask him to do anything, even the most outlandish things in the world (like marching into the Lestrange residence and getting revenge), and Sirius would do it without blinking.

"Stay with me?"

"Always" Sirius promised, making it sound both solemn and obvious.

"I'll show you three to your rooms" Lily offered, glaring at Remus until he sighed and pulled James to his feet. Peter just squeaked and fled the kitchen, never good at this kind of thing. James paused in the doorway, his eyes oddly blue in the light.

"Pads, Astra, if you need me just call. Otherwise, I'm going to hit the rack. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night, Prongs" Rose smiled, hoping it came out somewhat genuine. Sirius waved a hand, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Goodnight, deer." James narrowed his eyes.

"I'm letting that go, just this once."

* * *

Jim sat across the table, fingers tapping out an odd rhythm while Violet compulsively made tea behind him. Rose was silent, searching for words to describe everything; the hell that had led to one of the best things she had going for her. Sirius, for his part, met her father's retired judge gaze evenly, his thumb running in distracted motions over her knuckles under the table. Jim broke the silence as Rose knew he would. "What are you trying to find words to tell us?"

"Lily's first letter, the one she wrote in a panic, it was right" Rose admitted softly. "We went into Hogsmeade because we can and we're the Marauders - and whether the reason is important, which it isn't, it's not the issue. The town was attacked by Death Eaters-"

"They're witches and wizards that believe in blood purity" Sirius explained bitterly. "In how much non-magical blood you have. They're led by a psychopathic madman named Voldemort, and-"

"They're going to war with the rest of your world?" Jim finished, scrubbing a hand over his face.

"And yours" Sirius replied quietly. "Anyone they see as inferior or as traitors to their blood - myself and James prime examples."

"You were attacked" Violet prompted in a tremulous voice.

"Hogsmeade was" Rose repeated, for a moment almost back in front of the sweetshop with Sirius. "We could've run and left innocent people to the Death Eaters. But we couldn't. Marauders don't run from fights. James sent Peter back to the castle to get help, and he and Sirius took off to try and draw the Death Eaters to them. Rem and I, meanwhile, quickly found ourselves penned in. We, that is Remus, thinks that we were being toyed with, that someone was testing our strengths and weaknesses." Sirius made a distressed noise beside her, the guilt clear on his face.

"It wasn't your fault" Jim said flatly, tone leaving no room for disagreement.

"Doesn't stop the regrets" Sirius returned, but there was only resignation in his voice.

"Eventually, they set fire to Tomes and Scrolls" Rose continued, determined to get it all out now. "It's the bookshop. Rem loves that place. He chased after the Death Eater responsible, he has a very territorial nature, and I foolishly didn't follow. It was about then that I realised I was being watched. Four, maybe five Death Eaters chased after Remus; just the one stayed behind to, er, deal with me. Nine years more experience, dark magic, no moral compass, it's a miracle I lasted as long as I did." Rose laughed, but there was no mirth in the situation. "I tossed her into a wall, made her angry. She retaliated with the second of the three Unforgivables; the Cruciatus Curse." Rose looked away from her parents, knowing what they would expect next. "I can't describe it, so please don't ask me to. It was the worst, most excruciating pain you could ever imagine."

"Rosebud." Sirius' pained voice interrupted her; she was making him go through it again.

"Let's just say that Peter followed through with his job and he brought Lily and several Professors and aurors as backup. I don't remember much after that, except waking up in the Hospital Wing two weeks later with a new scar on my arm." Her mother was speechless in shock, Jim working through it in his head, but there was more still to tell. "Mum, Dad, no matter what you decide, we're going back to Hogwarts. We're at war, but even if we weren't, that's where we belong. I won't leave the Marauders, and there's no way in Merlin's City of Camelot that I'm going to leave Sirius, so-" Jim stopped her with a look.

"Your mother and I have already discussed this; we're not going to stop you from returning to Hogwarts. And we're not discussing this any more tonight. Go unpack and get some sleep, the both of you." Rose wanted nothing more than to do that, but her mind clearly had other ideas. Lily would later say it was the release of the stress brought on by everything, but she just collapsed. Tears were running down her cheeks, she found it hard to breathe. She missed her father's look of dawning realisation and approval, her mother's happy surprise, and Petunia stopping in the doorway in curiosity. Once again, it was Sirius' arms that held her while she cried, his voice that murmured soothing nonsense in her ear, his steady heartbeat that she focused on, his warmth that chased the cold from her heart. Eventually, she managed to pull away long enough to shuffle upstairs with him.

"We've got to stop meeting like this" Rose managed, her voice watery.

"That's not what I agreed, Rosebud" Sirius corrected gently. "You need me, I'm there. Even if it's just getting rid of a spider, or hexing someone into a grease spot." The levity left his voice. "Or being there after a nightmare, or telling Prongs to pull his head in about quidditch, or doing this. There is nothing in this universe that I wouldn't do if you asked me to, because I-" Sirius closed his eyes, and kissed her. When his grey eyes opened, Rose could see everything, just everything. "I love you" he breathed, breath tickling her lips. "I love the way you hate mornings, but always look gorgeous in them. I love the way your eyes light up when you're excited. I love that you're stubborn and obstinate and gentle and kind and loving. I love your vindictive streak and the burn of your redheaded temper. I love that you stood by a werewolf and a spoiled arrogant brat, a mummies boy and the disowned heir to a house of deranged psychopaths." He brushed her hair away gently. "I love your loyalty and your pranking ideas. I love that your family likes us just because you vouched for us. I love that you're insanely obsessed with David Bowie, and that your animagus is a unicorn. I love that you look at us and see us for who we really are. Most of all, I love you for all your imperfect perfection, because you're my Rosebud, and that's the only thing I need to know. You're MY Rosebud." Rose felt a tear escape while she smiled like the sun. Turnabout was fair play. She put her hand over his heart and kissed him for all she was worth.

"I love you more than the stars in the sky, unlike David Bowie, more than I know how to say" she said quickly, catching him while he was still catching his breath. Sirius was odd about emotional confessions. "I love your unwavering loyalty, and your strength and courage. I love that you're Merlin-sent handsome and you know it. I love that you're an incorrigible flirt but would never look twice at anyone else. I love that you make me feel safe and loved and protected. I love that you don't stop me from being myself, even though it hurts you. I love the way you hold me, and the way you love the other Marauders. I love that you love your brother even though he's as Black as you can get. I love your short temper, your rebellious nature and disregard for the rules. I love the strength that allowed you to leave behind your entire family because you knew what was right." Rose ran a hand through her hair. "Godric, Siri, you- everything about you, I-" The passionate press of Sirius' lips stopped her from making a fool of herself, but it was the way he treated her like she was the most precious thing in the world that said his words were true. He poured his love into his kiss, Rose could've stayed there forever.

* * *

**I know, that last bit was OTT. And if you're wondering, I see Jim Evans kind of like Colin Firth.**

**Thank you for reading. Next time... Christmas carols and maybe a food fight.**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:**

**I know, I'm an awful person. I haven't updated in a whole week.**

**I'm afraid this is a fluffy short one.**

**Any opinions expressed about Feliz Navidad is entirely influenced by a running family gag - I couldn't resist putting it in, even if it may not be technically correct.**

**I own nothing, but I did have fun making up wizarding titles of the Christmas carols.**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Unconscionably cheerful music drifted upstairs with a beat that was as catchy as it was annoying. Rose glared as she pulled her dressing gown on top of her pyjamas, stomping downstairs with ill grace and her hair probably in a rats nest. Her mother was nowhere to be seen (it was a Saturday, so she was probably out and about with her friends for breakfast), her father was eating toast behind the mornings muggle paper, and the male Marauders were betraying their very code. At least Lily had the good sense to still be asleep. "What in the name of Merlin's sainted hippogriff is going on in here?" Rose was trying very hard to be calm. Sirius was right; she hated mornings .

"It's Jose!" James cheered, loudly singing along to the monstrosity on the wireless.

"I love this guy" Sirius announced, laughing. The spring in his step matched the twinkle in his eyes. It irritated her, but Godric was it adorable.

"Apparently, he and his lisp want to wish us a Merry Christmas" Remus informed them, tone as dry as a desert. Rose shot him a glare.

"Et tu, Rem?" Remus shrugged apologetically, as if to say it wasn't his fault.

"Good morning, Rosebud" Sirius cheered, smiling brilliantly at her.

"Is it?" she retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"From where I'm standing, it is" Sirius confirmed, casually going back to singing along with James. Rose shook her head, dropping into her seat at the table with a harrumph. That man was impossible. A steaming mug of tea was placed in front of her, Remus smiling slightly.

"Thanks, Remmy."

"Don't mention it" Remus muttered, waving his hand. "I think it's snowing again."

"That'll please Petunia" Jim remarked from behind his paper. "She's leaving to spend Christmas with Vernon's family today."

"Thank Godric for that" Rose muttered wholeheartedly, Sirius accidentally inhaling some of his of tea. James pounded him harder than necessary on the back, Sirius muttering something about James not needing to be such a bloody prick. James just laughed and said Marauder.

"Tell me you've already gone to the Court's Christmas function" Rose said suddenly, to the picture of some football player on the back of her father's paper.

"It's today" Jim's voice grumbled, sounding about as enthusiastic as if someone had offered the Marauders a day of studying Divination in the library.

"Bad luck" Sirius winced supportively. "All day thing is it?"

"We leave before lunch and should get back around ten tonight" Jim replied, his tone suggesting he was being marched to his execution. Now it was James's turn to wince.

"That sounds like my parents' Christmastime celebrations" he muttered, horror twisting his face. "Thank Merlin that they're spending the festive season in France with some of Mum's cousins who teach at Beaubatons." Remus looked up in what could only be described as barely concealed glee.

"The mighty James Potter, Marauder of the Most Noble Order of the Stag, mischief maker and firmest believer in disrespecting professors (after Padfoot in that respect, of course), has teachers in his family?" James dropped his head into his hands and groaned loudly.

"I hate you all" he announced, voice muffled by his hands. "I hope you all get doxy infestations."

"Ashwinder in your pants" Sirius retorted easily, James pointedly displaying his middle finger.

"What happened to being on our best behaviour?" Peter wondered, wandering into the kitchen with his voice still muzzy from sleep.

"Astra's Dad doesn't mind" Sirius shrugged, Jim finally dropping the level of his paper to glare at Sirius. The Marauder coughed once and amended. "Jim doesn't mind. Do you, Jim?"

"Not at all" Jim assured them. "You Marauders behaving yourselves would go against the very fabric of reality."

"We can behave" James protested, manfully ignoring the disbelieving scoff from Remus. "We can. We just choose not to."

"The bigger question" Lily suddenly said from the doorway, fully dressed as if she'd been up for a while. "Is why isn't the house decorated? It's six days to Christmas!" Rose watched as her father meticulously washed out his mug and set it to dry.

"Your mother and I thought that, since Petunia is deserting us for Christmas this year, you six might like that dubious honour." Lily's eyes bugged out.

"You're going to trust the Marauders to decorate for a holiday that isn't Halloween?" James opened his mouth, but a hand on his arm and a shaken head stopped him.

"First of all, Ev- Lilykins" Sirius said smoothly, Rose hiding a smile behind her mug of tea. "We resent the implication that we are unable to decorate a house for the festive season. Second, Halloween may be a Marauder speciality - and I did see you smiling during the Rocky Horror Skeleton Show - but we are also rather brilliant at Christmas too. In fact, we like Christmas so much that we don't include much pranking in the celebration of it." Remus narrowed his eyes pointedly.

"And on whose insistence was that, Padfoot?" Sirius muttered something that could have been Moony, Jim's rich laughter filling the room. Peter pointed outside with childish excitement.

"It's snowing!"

* * *

After what had been an epic snow war, the Marauders trooped in, stomping their feet from the cold. James and Sirius shared triumphant grins, having narrowly won despite Peter also being on their team. Petunia - who had been away when the group arrived the previous day - watched the six Hogwarts students trail in with a disgusted look on her face. She picked up her bags and sniffed disdainfully . "I'm going to spend Christmas with Vernon and his family" the horse-faced woman announced crisply. "I'll be back for New Years." As soon as the door swung shut behind Petunia, Rose's mother gave a quiet sigh.

"You can decorate the house now." Lily beamed and clapped her hands, bringing back a memory of another Christmas oh so many years before. James and Sirius volunteered to fetch the decorations down from the attic while Remus went to get a start on his special cocoa with cinnamon and nutmeg. Peter fetched the wireless into the living room, and Rose and Lily went and made sure that the tree was in the right position for decorating that night. Just before they got ready to start, Violet and Jim called them out into the entranceway, both dressed in fine evening wear - even though it was only technically just before noon.

"We're just off to the party now. You don't have to have the house decorated tonight if you don't want to" Jim said, tugging at his bowtie. Sirius rolled his eyes fondly and fixed it for him on his way upstairs. Violet smiled at the sight, a mirror copy on Rose's face. She loved watching her dad and Sirius interact.

"Enjoy yourselves and be safe."

"We will, Mum" Lily promised, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. "You have fun too." Sirius chose that moment to start singing 'God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs' while boxes overflowing with Christmas decorations floated down the stairs in front of him. Rose felt love bubbling up in her chest, but she just grinned madly at him instead. The sight of Sirius 'Padfoot' Black singing a wizarding Christmas carol in her childhood home was one she'd cherish for a while. The fact that he sounded amazing doing so naturally had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

"_Dashing through the snow, in a unicorn-pulled sleigh. Through the fields we go, laughing all the way_" James sang merrily, emerging behind Sirius just as the elder Evans' slipped out laughing.

"Oi!" Rose protested, mostly for the principle of the thing. Unicorns were her thing, James wasn't to make fun.

"Wrong song!" Remus yelled from the kitchen. "Padfoot was singing God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs!"

"So?" James called back, supremely unconcerned. Sirius tossed a bauble at his head and summoned it back with a casual flick of his wand.

"_Rudolph the red-nosed Thestral, had a very shiny nose_" Peter caroled, not to be outdone. "_Even though you couldn't see him, everyone could see it glowed. And then one foggy Christmas Eve, Merlin came to say, 'Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide Santa's sleigh tonight_?'"

"Enough with the cheesy carols" Lily groaned, clearly never having had the (mis)fortune of hearing four heavily eggnog intoxicated Marauders sing the wizarding classic 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Puffskein' or 'Frosty the Mugwump' or even the slightly morose-sounding 'Carol of the House Elves'.

* * *

A little over an hour later, they were all doing their own things, relatively speaking. Lily was in the dining room, working on charming a miniature version of the Nutcracker ballet for their mother, Remus had commandeered the kitchen and was baking up a storm, Peter was hanging tinsel and making garlands, James and Sirius were outside with ladders and lights (and a little bit of magic when the neighbours couldn't see what they were up to), decorating the house exterior, and Rose was getting an early start on stringing the garlands around the living room and the rest of the house. Remus cheerfully sang the lyrics to 'Oh Come All Ye House Elves', the enticing smell of gingerbread wafting from the kitchen. Rose gave up on her chosen task, knowing it would be easier to get done after the tree was up and decorated. Instead, she joined her best friend in the kitchen, getting stuck in to help with the cookies and cake. Remus grinned at her, clearly glad of the help, and the duo got through the baking far quicker than Remus would have done by himself. James and Sirius trooped in not long afterwards, covered in snow and pine needles, bickering good-naturedly with one another. They dropped into their chairs at the kitchen table, helping with decorating the cookies without being asked. Sirius leant his chair back on two legs (continuing his tradition of not sitting in chairs properly), one hand in a bowl of Smarties, the other icing little glasses onto his Gingerbread James. Rose wiped the shortbread dough off her hands, switching on the muggle radio on her way back from locating the 'Marauder' cookie cutters. Gripped by artistic inspiration, James hogged the last tray of already baked cookies, humming along to My Sweet Lord while piping out icing here, there and everywhere. Sirius pulled a face at the back of James's head, swiping the mixing bowl that had held the chocolate cake mixture. The sight of Sirius cleaning the bowl was extremely distracting, Rose valiantly keeping her eyes on the rolled out cookie dough before her. Remus bumped lightly into her shoulder, his eyes twinkling even as they rolled at the behaviour of the black haired Marauders. "This cake is too good for Moony" Sirius announced the moment the bowl was clean. A thin line of chocolate was smudged on his bottom lip, and the bastard knew it. He winked at her, smirking in that infuriatingly gorgeous way he had. Rose looked back levelly, smiling despite herself.

"How so?" she invited, leaning one hip into the counter. Sirius' smirk widened, the chair protesting as he forced it even further backwards on two legs.

"You used copious amounts of six different kinds of Honeydukes Best in that cake, our Furry Little Friend would probably see that as some kind of sacrilege." A noise Rose would ordinarily describe as a whimper escaped her best friend's lips. Rose cocked her head in an exaggeratied show of thoughtfulness.

"I don't know, Siri, I think Moony would claim the cake for his Wolf's territory."

_"Yes!"_ Remus yelled, nodding enthusiastically. "Cake. Moony's. _Grr."_ For a split second, James and Sirius wore identical stunned expressions - eyes comically wide, mouths slightly open - then, they exploded into laughter.

"You did not just growl at us" James managed before his head fell forward onto a full bag of icing, pale green goo shooting straight at Remus head. Rose backed up against the counter, hand pressed to her mouth, trying desperately to stifle her giggles. The 'grr' echoed on repeat in her head; poor Remus. Sirius' hand raised to point at the green smear sliding down Remus' cheek, chest heaving with desperate laughter. The mirth was frozen on his face as his chair gave up the fight with gravity, and he toppled over onto the floor. James looked from the furious but stunned werewolf to his quietly chuckling and seemingly unharmed best mate, his mortification morfing into a wide, mischievous smirk. Rose instinctively backed closer to the safety of the counter, hoping James would forget she was there.

"Now let that be a lesson to you" the stag animagus grinned, squirting scarlet icing at Sirius face. _"Grr."_ Remus' eyes narrowed dangerously, familiar mischief dancing in his eyes. He picked up a spoonful of leftover fruitcake dough, sending it flying straight into James's face. A flash of pink and rolling lips were the only parts of James's face that Rose could actually see. "Not bad" he hummed, reaching a hand up to clean his glasses. "Unfortunately, you are going to pay for that, Moony."

"I'm quivering" Remus replied, tone drier than Professor Binns'. James just smirked and leapt for his piping bags, a war cry leaving his lips. Rose watched them warily, pulling her legs up onto the counter. Grey eyes flickered briefly to meet hers, a smirk pulling at kissable chocolate smudged lips. Nothing good (from a non-mischievous point of view) ever happened after that smirk. Rose grinned back, tossing Sirius a little bottle that conveniently happened to be beside her.

"You're so dramatic, Prongs" Sirius drawled, tossing flour at his head and using the distraction to upend the little bottle down his trousers. Quick steps had him in front of her seconds later. He kissed her lips once, transferring the taste of chocolate and Sirius. His eyes sparkled gleefully. "I love you." A stupid grin stretched her lips, the moment ruined by a purple Smartie bouncing off her nose. Sirius glared at James. "Low blow. Noncombatant." James's mouth dropped.

"It was Moony!" Rose slid off the bench, brushing a kiss against Sirius' cheek, just because. And, if an egg happened to splatter all over Remus afterwards, well it was war.

* * *

Peter came in in time to get a facefull of melted chocolate, his laughter echoing in the kitchen. He then began to pelt them all with stray raisins. "Rats!" Peter yelled, ground nutmeg in his hair. Rose reached behind her, scrabbling for another food stuff to weaponise. A shout of her name had her looking up in time to catch a can of whipped cream.

"I love you too" Rose called, aiming the contents of the cannister at the nearest target, in this case Remus.

"What's all this yelling?" Lily asked, her voice too calm to be in the kitchen. "Rosie- _MERLIN'S BEARD!"_ James hummed a line of Here Comes The Sun, Rose looking up sheepishly from behind her cereal fortress.

"Hi Lils?" Lily's eyes narrowed, almost spitting fire - James looked oddly nostalgic (it was how Lily usually looked after he asked her out, again).

"Don't you _'hi Lils'_ me, Rose Marianne Evans" Lily glowered, hands on hips. Rose thought James might be drooling. For some reason, he did like making Lily angry - strange man. "Look at this mess!" She walked in, the very air holding its breath. Two eggs appeared in her hands. "That's for the 1,796 times you asked me out, Potter" Lily smiled sweetly, James looking besotted, poor man. Rose had to give him credit - he still looked besotted even with egg running down his shirt. "And this" Lily continued, raising the other egg. "Is for-"

"You" Rose grinned, the egg exploding all over her. Lily's mouth dropped open, disbelief etched into the features so identical to Rose's.

"Oh, this is war" Lily swore. A complicated little charm later, their ammunition was replenished, and they were off again, laughter, trash talk and shrieking filling the kitchen.

* * *

Flour floated in the air, giving the appearance of snow inside the kitchen. Ironically, Dean Martin's voice crooned out Let It Snow, six witches and wizards breaking out into giggles at the absurdity of it all. "Merlin's beard" Lily said again, heaving a sigh. James pushed off the table, food dye staining splotches into his skin. He hauled Remus to his feet and waved his hand in front of his face.

"Godric, it's like playing Quidditch in a blizzard" he muttered, voice unintentionally carrying.

"Yes, Prongs" Sirius agreed, grey eyes peering intently at him. "We know, because you're the bloody prick that said it would bait off. And we nearly got sodding frostbite."

"Come on" Remus sighed gustily. "Sooner we get this mess cleaned up, sooner we can have some lunch." Lily drew her wand and muttered a quick charm, Sirius copying her movements exactly, without even looking.

"What is for lunch?" Peter wondered, Rose gingerly stepping towards the door.

"Bacon and egg pie" she smiled, feeling something (chocolate fudge sauce) cracking on her face. Bloody Remus. "I call dibs on the first shower." She ran out of the room, letting her laughter carry back to her family.

"Marauder!" Lily yelled back, amusement chiming along the words. Five voices in unison chorused

"Thank you!"

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Next chapter... More Christmas fluff**


	15. Chapter 15

**Authors Note:**

_**Shuffles out of hiding, safe under**_** _protego._**

**Hi all! It's December already, huh? Really there's no excuses for the late posting. Real life has been incredibly busy, then again December is for all of us.**

**To celebrate the holiday season approaching, here's some more Christmas fluff!**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Warm piano notes hung in the air like Flitwick's Christmas fairies, firelight flickering off loose ornaments and strings of gold and silver tinsel. Remus hummed to himself, carrying in a tray of gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate, the silver tray complementing his dark blue jumper patterned with white snowflakes. Peter's was bright orange and decorated with candy canes, while Lily's was black and patterned with emerald green Christmas trees. James's was a tasteful red dotted with reindeer, complementing Sirius' dark grey jumper covered with snowmen. Even Rose was wearing a purple one patterned with Holly. Lily had laughed in delight at the sight of them, swearing that nobody at Hogwarts was going to believe her when she told them. Rose wondered how fair it was to condemn all of them when it was James that adored tacky Christmas jumpers. Peter tuned the wireless with a flick of his wand, Frank Sinatra singing melodiously about being home for Christmas, much to Remus' approval. Sirius glanced up from untangling the strings of fairy lights, a fond scowl on his face. "If you lot aren't going to be helpful, the least you could do is not torture me and Prongs with that utter garbage."

"Don't insult Frank" Remus warned, Rose folding her arms and half-glaring in agreement. "Sinatra is a genius."

"He is" Lily agreed, but switched the station to one playing choral Christmas carols.

"Oh come all ye house elves" Peter sang, deliberately using the wizarding words to the carol. Remus threw a candy cane at him, rolling his eyes at the carolling Marauder. James moved to help Sirius untangle the lights, Lily's warm hands pulling Rose over to the boxes of baubles. Her face glowed with festive cheer and happiness, bouncing over to their faithful old artificial Christmas tree. Rose brushed a hand over one of the branches, smiling at the familiar texture. The tree was as much a part of their Christmas as anything else, and it had been for as long as Rose could remember. Sirius' hands found his pockets at he surveyed the Christmassy chaos that surrounded them.

"Your house, your Christmas, Evans, how are we doing this?" Lily narrowed her eyes, familiar annoyance in her movements.

"It's our Christmas, Black-" Rose rolled her eyes, an argument was the last thing they wanted tonight.

"Baubles, tinsel, lights, angel" she recited easily. "Just toss them on, it looks better like that anyway."

"And you said that Evans would never do anything the Marauder way, Prongs" Peter piped up, covering his head within his arms at the deluge of baubles tossed at him.

"Astra! Save me!" Rose maneuvered past James (bent double and in stitches) and hung a Gryffindor scarlet bauble on the tree.

"Don't think she's inclined to acquiesce to your plea, Pete" Remus mused, a silver drop shaped ornament in his hand.

"Means get stuffed, Wormy" James clarified, humming along to the carols playing. Lily's eyes rolled audibly, but she made no comment as she selected the right branch to put her golden ornament on. Peter stuck out his tongue, the six Hogwarts students working in silence as they slowly hung baubles on the Christmas tree.

* * *

Eventually, tired of analysing the layout of the decorations, Rose took a step back, straight into the familiar warmth of Sirius Black. His arms wrapped around her, hands clasping in front of her stomach. The slight tilt of his head had her looking back at the firelit tree, James and Lily working in an odd sort of synchronicity, weaving around one another as if they did this every year. "There might be hope for Prongs at last" Remus muttered, shuffling past with about ten different baubles.

"It's just a Christmas miracle, I don't think it'll last" Rose whispered back, enjoying the sight while it lasted. Sirius was even giving James the rare time with Lily, despite the fact he thought she was a 'prudish, rule-abiding, goodie-two-shoes, with the voice of a wailing banshee, a Gorgons death glare, and all the charming personality of a Red Cap with a hangover'. He hadn't even apologised for insulting her twin sister, but then again she hadn't really wanted him to. Rose smiled to herself and went to hang up the stockings by the fireplace, biting back a smirk at the playful bickering going on between Lily and the male Marauders.

"No bloody mistletoe and no bloody holly" Remus announced firmly, ignoring the chorus of boo's that he got in response. "Christmas, third year."

"Oi!" James tossed a bauble at his head, the ornament bouncing off Remus' forehead. "That prank was legendary. And, to be fair, Pads did tell you to get down. So it wasn't really our fault that you got a Christmas plum pudding in the kisser."

"Peter ended up with jellied eels in his pants, Prongs!"

"Wormtail laughed at my Christmas jumper" James yelled, pouting quite spectacularly. Sirius rolled his eyes, hands slapping the backs of their heads.

"Rudolph, don't get your antlers in a twist" the former heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black smirked, James giving him the finger. "And, Moons, it's the most wonderful time of the year, not that time of the month. Tone down the crankiness, it's Christmas." Rose couldn't even blame them a little bit for tackling the smirking Marauder. She just shrugged and went to help Lily string the tinsel around the tree.

* * *

Fairy lights twinkled merrily to a soundtrack of crackling fire and Bing Crosby. Empty mugs of hot chocolate and plates containing tiny biscuit crumbs littered the coffee table, partly covered by empty boxes and bags. James Potter had red-and-green sock clad feet up on one end, the rest of his body wedged awkwardly in an armchair holding Violet Evans' precious Nativity set. Peter Pettigrew had his head resting on a fluffy snowman soft toy, arms and legs stretched out as he laid cat-like in front of the fireplace. Lily and Rose Evans lay curled in the other armchair, virtually indistinguishable with their eyes closed and hair covering their faces. A slightly threadbare pale purple blanket was draped over the twins, courtesy of Remus Lupin, who had used it to replace the photo album the two had had in their laps. Remus occupied half of the couch, his mouth slightly open and dark hair tousled. He had a hot chocolate mustache and gingerbread in his jumper, but his face was relaxed and happy. Sirius Black laid half under the tree, his face illuminated by the multicoloured fairy lights, resting smirk carelessly in place. His hands were behind his head, just where he'd put them before he'd fallen asleep to the memories the Evans twins were sharing. That was how Jim and Violet Evans found them when they came home at eleven that night, and that was how they woke up on December 21, full to the brim with festive spirit, batteries recharged, and ready to take on the world.

* * *

Rose looked at the formally dressed wizard in front of her sceptically. He wore a look of supreme distaste - clearly hating every second of being in Cokeworth - and appeared to be resisting the urge to brush past her. Rose would pay to see him try that, she was eager to try out some of the new curses James had been researching for them. The wizard had knocked on the door maybe ninety seconds beforehand, and was yet to say a word. "Can I help you?" Rose said politely, mentally calculating how long it would take her to draw her wand.

"I wish to see Sirius Black" he demanded, breath whistling through his nose. Rose crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. As if she was going to let him in just because he said he wanted to see Sirius.

"And you are?"

"I represent Twill, Tanner & Twycroft, a legal firm based in London" the wizard sniffed. "I am Twill." Rose bit back the 'good for you' that longed to come out, and raised an eyebrow instead. She had it on good authority (namely Remus) that it adequately conveyed being distinctly unimpressed and underwhelmed. "I have urgent business with Mr Black" Twill said shrilly. "Believe me, I would not be standing here now if I did not." That Rose could definitely believe; he looked like someone had shoved dragon dung under his nose. Raising one finger in the universal signal for needing a moment, Rose walked to the corner of the house. Yep, noise was definitely still coming from the garage.

"Siri!" A screech of creaky hinges, and Sirius strolled out of the garage with casual grace.

"What is it, Rosebud?" Sirius asked, wiping his hands off on a rag. Only another Marauder would have been able to detect the undertone of concern in his carefree phrasing.

"Some lawyer wants to see you, I think he said his name's Twit."

"Twill!" Twill screeched, calling to mind Petunia at her shrillest.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Twit" Sirius smirked, Rose taking her cue to leave them to it.

Jaunty, deliberately cheerful whistling preceded Sirius' return to the living room. Rose had brought the others up to speed, and was now enjoying watching Remus comprehensively beat James at chess. "Dear old Uncle Alphard" Sirius chuckled, an official looking letter clutched in his hand. James looked up from another decisive defeat at wizarding chess and cocked his head.

"Black Sheep senior of the Black family?" Sirius nodded at the stag, expression caught between stunned, bemused and smug. "What about him?"

"Kicked the bucket" Sirius drawled. "Built up quite the fortune beforehand. Left it all to me." James chuckled darkly.

"That'll please your mother."

"Yes" Sirius agreed, a slow and slightly dangerous smirk blossoming on his face. "It'll be a very happy Christmas in the Black household this year. I imagine Walburga is getting ready to behead another house elf." He chuckled again. "They had the funeral yesterday, apparently they decided against inviting me. Didn't want any trouble at the graveside. Frankly, Alphard would've appreciated it. Loved a good argument, he did."

"Must be where you get it from" Remus muttered, Sirius making a sarcastic laugh.

"There's some things that need arranging, Prongs, Moony, you mind coming with me?" They agreed instantly, Rose understanding that this was something he needed to do with them - and it gave her time to spend with Lily for a change.

* * *

With Peter away visiting his mother for the day, Lily had decreed that they were going shopping. It was Christmas, and they needed boring muggle gifts for Petunia, and Lily wanted to buy a gift for Remus as well. Rose had to buy socks for Professor Dumbledore anyway (long, long story), and had nothing better to do, so she agreed to her sister's plan. They were in the shopping centre, walking out of the book shop (where else to buy gifts for Remus Lupin?), when they passed a group of out of tune carol singers. Lily's shoulders started shaking, paper bags crinkling, soft giggles escaping her lips. "Do you remember back in fourth year, when Potter sent those gnomes after me for a week?" The memory of gnomes (not exactly nature's serenaders) singing I'll Follow The Sun as they followed Lily around the corridors of Hogwarts burst like a firework in Rose's mind.

"Yeah, he wandered the corridors moping for weeks, moaning at us about how you weren't impressed that he charmed a fleet of singing gnomes to serenade you." Rose took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Rem threatened to chuck him off the Astronomy Tower if he didn't shut the Salazar up."

"I imagine Black was sympathetic" Lily muttered sardonically, Rose snorting in amusement.

"He was going to be the one to chuck him over" she grinned, remembering all too well. "In fact, he insisted upon it. Loudly and often."

"Black was going to chuck Potter off the Tower?"

"Yeah, but he would've had a broom waiting to save his sorry arse as well."

"What else are friends for?" Lily wondered rhetorically, laughing as Rose pulled them into an old arcade area. "Aren't we too old for this, Rosie?"

"You're never too old for fun, Lils" Rose grinned, feeling very Marauderish.

"Yeah, yeah" Lily's eyes rolled audibly. "Prepare to lose, Rosie."

"In your dreams, Lily."

* * *

After her smug and unfortunately fair victory, Lily dragged Rose around the mall, laughingly pointing out tacky gifts for Petunia, and of course helping Rose remember to select some socks for Dumbledore. Six pairs of thick (and sometimes outrageously patterned) woolen socks later, they bought boring presents for Petunia and the Walrus, and traipsed all the way back to the front to buy wrapping paper, ribbon and tags. A bit of carefully concealed magic in the women's bathroom later, their purchases were sent away to the Evans house, and their afternoon was free. The only question was how they should spend it. "Pictures, park or Christmas parade?" Lily glanced thoughtfully at her watch and grinned.

"Park. The colliery band should be coming past there on their route." They could disagree on many things, but something they both knew for certain was that nothing said Christmas like carols played by a brass band.

Arm in arm, Rose and Lily strolled the streets of their normally utterly depressing home town, content just to do this in each other's company. They waved and nodded at the familiar faces they passed, some looking away (clearly the spiteful work of Petunia), and reminisced about the years before Hogwarts, Snape and the Marauders. Snow, Santa's and lights greeted them from every corner and garden, bathing the dreary, grey town with seasonal cheer and a festive glow. It had been years since they'd done anything like this together, strolling side by side, chatting about everything and nothing. Lily laughed about her favourite Marauder pranks, and dished out gossip that Marauders weren't normally privy to. Little things that Rose had missed and made all the difference. Even without a war on the horizon, Rose needed her sister in her life, by her side. What was the point of building a family if Rose couldn't share it with the one person in both worlds that belonged as part of it? It was in the stars; Lily Evans was destined to be a part of the dysfunctional, weird, mischievous, barmy and completely mad but most steadfast and loyal made family around - James Potter's Marauders. "Okay, Rosie" Lily invited eventually. "Tell me about your Marauders."

There was a sense of hilarity and inevitability about the whole thing. Bright colours assaulted the senses, everything in complete Marauder like chaos. Cheerful Christmas wrapping paper and ribbons littered the room like an explosion had taken place in the house. Peter stood in the middle of it all with the most utterly woebegone expression Rose had seen since Lily cursed James's broom to hit him repeatedly upside the head in third year. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he'd gone ten rounds with wrapping paper elves and lost. "The person who invented wrapping paper and ribbons is a sadistic Slytherin arsehole." Remus, Lily, James, Sirius and Rose shared a laughter filled glance. In all honesty, it was hard to take Peter seriously with ribbon in his hair. "Just look at this mess! Wrap them yourself, Moony said. It'll get you in the Christmas spirit, Moony said. I've had it up to here with Christmas spirit."

"Isn't he adorable when he's ranting?" James cooed, idly plucking a bit of golden ribbon off a lamp shade.

"It's like watching a squirrel get angry" Sirius observed, tilting his head just so.

"Oh very funny, Padfoot" Peter snarked sarcastically. "Because squirrels are rodents too, hmm?" Sirius' eyes rolled.

"No, because squirrels aren't exactly fear inspiring creatures, like you ranting, Wormtail." Peter took a second to consider that.

"Fair enough."

"Wonderful" Rose rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I get a whole lecture in the bloody hospital wing, and Sirius gets let off with a 'fair enough'? How is that sodding equitable?" Peter blinked at her.

"How is that what?"

"Fair, reasonable, acceptable" Remus rattled off helpfully, busy tidying up the mess Peter had created. The rat animagus sidled up to James.

"How do I get myself out of this one, Prongs?"

"I'd go with grovelling" Sirius confided, Peter looking horrified. "It's not the end of the world, you berk."

"Oh leave him alone" Lily chided, shaking her head at the Marauders' antics. "Look at it this way; it's Christmas Eve, and the Morecambe and Wise Christmas special is on tonight." James cheered, jumping up and down like Peter watching the Gryffindor Quidditch team score.

"Dad said Angela Ripon, John Thaw and Elton John are supposed to be on" Rose grinned, watching a slow smile creep across the faces of her fellow Marauders; they also had a special soft spot for The Sweeney. Sirius started singing It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, waltzing Lily around the room - much to James's chagrin.

"I've had just about enough of you" Peter growled, glaring straight at an uncooperative parcel. Remus sank to the ground near him, and started to show him how to do it without magic.

"Have you done your Christmas wrapping?" The werewolf asked, fingers flying over themselves as he tied a perfect bow. James let out a long groan, wearing the expression of a man who knew he wasn't going to get a moment's peace.

"We've done our Christmas shopping, isn't that enough, Moony?"

"No."

"You're a sadist, Rem" James informed him, pointing a finger at his nose. Remus barely even glanced up, tone drier than ever.

"Sit down or we'll tell everyone the truth about you, Prongs." James gasped and staggered back, falling onto the couch cushions.

"You wouldn't dare." The bookish Marauder smirked widely.

"Oh but I would. Deer."

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Next chapter... The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special 1976. And Christmas Day.**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:**

**Yes I'm back. No, I don't really have a good excuse. I suppose saying it's Christmas won't do any good.**

**In all honesty, I have been crazy busy with a challenge for another fandom over on AO3.**

**This chapter required a lot of tweaking, which nearly dounled it's sixe, so this is a technical two-parter.**

**Part 2 will be posted on Christmas eve, NZ time. I promise.**

**One more small note, I did my best with the scene before Christmas morning, but I'm ace so I hope it turned out alright.**

**That said, please enjoy!**

* * *

Lights were turned way down low, hot chocolate steamed from mugs on the coffee table, the fire was gently crackling, and presents sat perfectly wrapped under the Christmas tree. Jim sat on his armchair, feet up, cup of tea in his hand, comfortable and relaxed in casual attire. Violet occupied the other armchair, half-heartedly working on some knitting while her emerald gaze drifted more often than not to the television. Lily, Remus and Peter occupied the couch, all dressed in their pyjamas and dressing gowns, the light from the fire and the television dancing unusual patterns across their rapt faces. James shifted on the floor, sighed to himself, then got up and transfigured a knut into a squashy, overstuffed armchair, relaxing into it with a smile. Sirius rolled his eyes at his best mate, hair falling forward into his eyes. He did the effortless shake that had it falling perfectly back into position in the way Rose had always envied. She finished pulling her hair together in a plait, Sirius' arm wrapping warmly and securely around her waist. It encouraged her to settle more firmly against his side, where she felt more comfortable anyway. On the telly, Des O'Connor was reciting some of the greatest hits of Morecambe and Wise's more creative insults about him, while James and Sirius shared looks that said they were getting ideas. But, then again, they usually did get ideas whenever they watched Morecambe and Wise. Perfect for mischief material that show was. Remus leaned forward and shamelessly pilfered some Quality Streets chocolates, grinning unrepentantly at James's raised eyebrow. Lily nicked one of his sweeties, laughing along with Des O'Connor - who Rose was fairly certain her twin sister had a crush on; she certainly never missed an episode of his show whenever she was home. But, then again, Rose was going out with Sirius Black, self-proclaimed most eligible bachelor at Hogwarts, so what right did she have to judge? "Unscrupulous" Peter chortled, eyes twinkling as Eric Morecambe spelled out berk incorrectly in face slaps to Ernie Wise.

* * *

The volume of laughter in the living room called to mind the aftermath of many spectacular Marauder pranks at Hogwarts. On screen, John Thaw was again covered in mud, Dennis Waterman spotless next to him. James was laughing so hard he'd fallen off his chair, tears streaming down his cheeks while the others looked on in mild concern. They were afraid that he might have done himself a mischief. He waved them off quickly, heaving himself back up onto his chair with a sigh, still shaking with laughter. Sirius used the timely distraction James had caused to crook his finger under Rose's chin, kissing her with the lazy ease of a man who knew exactly what he was doing. Rose bit back the urge to move onto him to give Sirius easier access, a tiny part of her cursing Marlene McKinnon and the other hapless flings for having more of him than she had been able to. Rose wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what Sirius' arrangement with Marlene had consisted of. "Patience, Rosebud" Sirius purred in her ear. Of course the smug bastard had known what she was thinking. "Watch the programme." He kissed her once more, gently and almost apologetically, and leaned back as he had been before. She really hated him sometimes; smug, infuriating, gorgeous bastard.

"Why doesn't he just beat some blokes head in?" Peter wondered, glaring at John Thaw in the telly. "He's the bloke from The Sweeney! Knock his head in!"

"I don't really think that's appropriate for Christmas Eve, do you Peter?" Jim asked curiously, Peter grumbling but not disagreeing.

"Poor Pete" Rose murmured, shaking her head sympathetically. He didn't mean to be such a pushover, but she supposed that the Marauders really only had themselves to blame for that. But, Peter was Peter and they wouldn't change him for the world.

* * *

James hummed Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (the song Elton John had performed on the show that night) as they climbed the stairs to bed, Violet and Jim bidding them goodnight as they slipped into the master bedroom. Peter had turned in awhile before, Remus yawning and muttering something that vaguely sounded like an approximation of a goodnight wish as he followed suit. James, still far too cheerful for anyone's good, waved and gallantly escorted a half-asleep Lily to her door, kissing her hand before fleeing back downstairs to the den that Jim graciously let him sleep in. Rose rolled her eyes at his antics, hand pausing on the door handle to her own bedroom. Warm pressure on her waist gently towed her back into strong arms and a familiar chest. Sirius' nose brushed against her own as his lips captured hers in a lovingly ardent kiss. She felt the moist warmth of his tongue trace over the seam of her lips, her mouth falling instantly open. Her hands fluttered against his sides and ran up and down the smooth planes of his chest. Rose was rewarded with a hitch in his motions and a low growl from deep in his chest, Sirius walking her backwards into her room without even breaking the kiss. She breathed when he allowed them to, her hands slipping under his shirt to trail up the bare skin of his torso. His heart beat erratically under her palm, teeth nipping gently into her bottom lip. Rose moaned into his mouth, needing to get closer, closer to him; this wasn't enough. A fiery sweep of his thumb on the sensitive skin of her waist was the only warning she got before they tumbled onto her bed. Sirius pulled away, black pupils ringed only thinly with grey, breath coming heavily as he rested his weight on his arms. Rose couldn't stop looking at him, he was perfect, gorgeous. A masterpiece. His body heat surrounded her while his taste lingered on her tongue. It wasn't even nearly enough, but there was something in his eyes; a restraint that spoke of his control returning to him. He kissed her again, this time gentler and more loving - gone was the raw passion and desire, tempered like a banked fire in his eyes. His kisses were soothing the fire he'd stoked in her body, trying to calm the need whilst keeping the intimacy. Rose couldn't think straight still, her hands fluttering over his skin under his horribly creased shirt. His touch, his kiss, his proximity was like a drug she couldn't get enough of. She hummed against his lips, feeling Sirius regain control over himself. He kissed her one final time, with all the regret and sorrow he felt, then he pushed himself to his feet and walked somewhat unsteadily to the door. "Goodnight, my darling Rosebud" Sirius breathed, his voice as uneven as her own would be. "Merry Christmas." Rose fixed her eyes with his as he slipped out of her room, knowing that they would say everything she couldn't. He smiled sadly, closing the door with a gentle snick. Rose let her head fall back onto her pillow, groaning low in her throat at the unfairness of it all. She wanted more, even though she knew they weren't quite ready for it. The knowledge didn't make the burn any less, nor did it make her Marauder nature feel any more reasonable about it. It wasn't fair. She turned and buried her head in her pillow, groaning at the Godric awful timing of it all. Still, Rose fell asleep with the taste of Sirius on her tongue and the feel of his hands on her body, so it wasn't really all that bad.

* * *

Her bed dipped wildly around her, jostled by repetitive bouncing. Ears were assaulted with cheerful, loud screaming. Like any Marauder, Rose muttered an obscenity and pulled her pillow over her head, hoping that the irritant would go the Salazar away. Her pillow was savagely ripped from her arms, Lily beaming down at her. "Up! Uppity, uppity up! It's Christmas!"

"Sod off" Rose grumbled, eyes shutting again. "S'too early." Lily bounced up and down again eagerly.

"It's never too early, Rosie. It's Christmas!" Rose opened bleary eyes, glaring up at her unconscionably cheerful twin sister. Her dressing gown hit her in the face, Lily grinning unrepentantly at her. Having a morning person for a twin really wasn't as much fun as it might get cracked up to be.

"Good morning, Lily" Rose smiled sweetly, Lily bouncing up and down again. It was a pity that the Marauders never pranked on Christmas day, because her sister was looking like a prime target from where Rose was sitting. Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody blasted suddenly through the silence, laughter bubbling out of Rose's mouth.

"PADFOOT!"

"Lighten up, Prongs, it's Christmas!"

"Merlin's beard" Remus groaned, standing in the doorway with his dressing gown on over his pyjamas. "Happy Christmas, Rosie, Lily."

"Merry Christmas, Remus" Lily beamed, eyes twinkling like gems. Rose smothered a yawn and pulled her own dressing gown on.

"Merry Christmas , Remmy" Rose smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "Let's go see if the others have left us any presents to open."

"Oi!" James growled, standing at the top of the stairs with his untamable hair even messier than usual. "I resent that slanderous and unfestive implication."

"Means it's true, mate" Sirius' voice smirked, coming from his guest room. He emerged in black pyjama pants and a fading Queen tee, smirk morphing into a smile at the sight of Rose. "Good morning, Rosebud. Merry Christmas." The words, delivered in the same tone as last night, brought heat into Rose's cheeks, and she resisted the urge to duck her head from sight.

"Is it? And Merry Christmas, Siri." Lily made a noise of disgust in her throat, neither of them paying attention as Sirius kissed her much more chastely than last night. Rose ran her hands down his chest as they pulled away, Peter levelling them with an impatient look.

"Christmas, reindeer, presents?" Peter prompted, tapping his foot. "Any of them ring a silver bell?"

"Ooh, seasonal" Remus approved, muffling a yawn with his hand.

"C'mon, stop lollygagging" James clapped his hands. "I can hear presents calling to me."

"You're a Marauder, you haven't been good this year at all" Lily smirked, James fixing her with a mock wounded pout.

"Well, I'm a Marauder, and I've been very good" Sirius grinned, ignoring the way Remus' jaw dropped open. "Shut up, Moony."

"Marauders prerogative" the werewolf winked, acting the little shit so very few people knew him to be.

"Oh, it's Christmas" Rose sighed joyously, shuffling backwards towards her room. Lily wrapped her arm around Rose's, tugging her downstairs like they were five years old again. Remus detoured into the kitchen, returning almost instantly with mugs of tea and hot chocolate. "You're a genius, Rem."

"Modesty forbids" Remus replied teasingly, James almost lunging for his mug of tea. "You're welcome, Prongs."

"Yeah, yeah. Ta, Moons."

* * *

Colourfully wrapped packages rested under the brightly lit Christmas tree, fire crackling warmly in the fireplace. The male Marauders bickered happily, Lily huffing at them. Oh yes, it was Christmas morning for certain. Rose allowed herself to be pulled to the floor with her sister and fellow Marauders, feet curling underneath her as she did so. Lily reached under the tree and pulled out the closest present to her. "Wormtail" she read out, Peter leaning forward eagerly. "You haven't been utterly useless this year, so Merry Christmas. From Padfoot." Peter tore open the wrapping, face splitting in an ear to ear grin. It was a Chudley Cannons amulet that looked to have been fortified with protection charms.

"Thank you, Padfoot" Peter said sincerely, hanging it around his neck.

"Your turn now, Pete" Rose pointed out, savouring the warmth of her tea. The rat animagus bounced in place, reaching a hand under the tree like Lily had. He pulled out a rectangular parcel with green and gold wrapping.

"To Remus J. 'Moony' Lupin" Peter intoned dramatically. "Facing the Wandfight at the Hogsmeade Corral by your side was a pleasure, one I'd rather not repeat. But for sheer dedication to the ancient art of pranking, and putting up with me (and the others) all year, I hope this is a safer pastime than the ones we usually engage in. Merry Christmas, Rem - Rosie." Peter handed the present over to Remus. The werewolf examined every inch of it, smiling at the impatient huffs from his compatriots. He gently freed the paper from the spellotape, eyes lighting up as he beheld the Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, one of his literary heroes.

"If Padfoot wouldn't curse my entrails away, I'd kiss you, Rose" Remus announced, shuffling slightly away from the glare Sirius shot him. "I said 'if', Black." Rose laughed at the pair of them, ignoring the puppy eyes they sent her. Remus grabbed a small box wrapped in purple with snowflakes. "Merry Christmas, Astra. Our pure heart and North Star - Prongs." Rose took the package gently, smiling curiously at James who looked uncertain. She ran her nail under the flap of the paper, tearing it with a loud rip. A carved maple box with a golden hinge revealed itself, roses and stars set into the wood. As she opened the lid, an instramental version of David Bowie's Life On Mars? began playing, a rat, stag, wolf, dog and unicorn projecting out of the box and dancing to the music. It took her breath away, it was beautiful.

"Oh, Jamie, it's perfect."

"Pads helped me choose it" James coughed uncomfortably, running his hands through his hair to give it that 'just off a broom' look. Sirius tossed a Quality Street at him, smirking and waving sarcastically.

"Regardless, I love it" Rose reiterated, tearing her eyes from Sirius' intent gaze. She reached out and chose a random present, pulling the large Gryffindor coloured box towards her. Her eyes sparkled as she read the tag. "Padfoot, how you put up with us all is beyond us (unless of course you mean Rose, when we know exactly why)-" Rose broke off and glared at James. "Oi!"

"It's true, Sweetheart" Sirius offered, not even looking annoyed. She made a face at him, but he only laughed.

"Read the tag, Rosie" James prompted, rolling his eyes.

"Fine" Rose huffed, Lily's foot bumping into her leg. "How you put up with us, blah, blah; maybe you'll finally shut up about it now. Merry Christmas you lucky bastard (part the first), from James, Remus, Peter, Lily, Jim and Violet Evans, and Rosebud." The wrapping paper was there one moment and gone the next, Sirius whooping at the pile of motorcycle paraphernalia that the box contained. James let out an oof as Sirius pulled him into a bear hug, both laughing at nothing at all.

"Save snogging my sister for later, Black" Lily ordered, pointing a finger dangerously at the pile of presents under the tree.

"Lily!" Rose stared at her twin, open mouthed. Lily waved her hand dismissively.

"We only get one Christmas morning a year, Rose" Lily sniffed primly. "Snogging can happen at any time."

"Way to ruin the moment, Lils" Rose muttered, watching the amusement dance in Sirius' eyes.

"Oi, Prongs!" Sirius called, tossing a floppy package at his best mate. "Merry Christmas, it's from me, don't get soppy on me, and you're still a berk." James ripped open the paper like it was tissue.

"Puddlemere United's new kit! How did you get it? They wouldn't even sell it to me!"

"Shameless name-dropping, mate" Sirius smirked, not looking in the least bit remorseful. "Even disowned, the name Black still opens doors."

"Well, however you did it, ta very much" James doffed an invisible hat. Sirius inclined his head in return, James burrowing under the tree for the next present. He smiled across at Lily, picking idly at the tag.

"Don't draw it out, Prongs, or I'll stick Moony on you" Peter muttered, toying with his new amulet.

"I echo his sentiments" Rose hummed, tracing a rose on the lid of her music box.

"And while I certainly don't approve of being the threat behind the statement, I also echo the sentiments" Remus agreed, nodding at James. The stag gasped dramatically in horror, clutching at his chest. Such a drama queen.

"Get a bloody move on, Prongs" Sirius drawled lazily. "Christmas morning is waning and I'd like to be able to snog my Rosebud sometime today, before I grow old and die of boredom induced insanity." Rose's jaw dropped for the second time that morning. She could not believe her ears.

"Sirius!"

"Never apologise for the truth, my darling" Sirius winked, Rose voicing the verbal equivalent of throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"The TAG, Prongs" Remus all but yelled, sheer irritation in his professorial voice.

"Merlin, Moony, don't get your wand in a knot" James smirked, quickly picking the tag back up. Nobody wanted to get on the bad side of a testy werewolf. "To my saint of a sister, Merry Christmas Lil - Rose." Lily had always shared Rose's fascination with things that came from the sky. For Rose, it was the stars that she adored (and yes she was very much aware of the irony of loving a man named after the brightest star in Canis Major), but Lily was (according to James) the sun itself. Rose had found a pair of golden sun earrings in Diagon Alley and bought them for her sister immediately.

"Oh Rosie" Lily smiled like the sun. "It's good to know you still have taste in some things." Glancing at the reason for that dig, Rose decided to show her Marauder side.

"More than half of Hogwarts can't be wrong" Rose sang cheerfully, James groaning at her.

"I blame you for this, Black" Lily sighed, pointing a finger at him. Sirius didn't even blink. He just looked sort of proud of himself.

"Oh, shut up and get your presents" Rose laughed, Sirius taking his chance to do as he threatened. Rose wasn't complaining though.

"Okay, okay" Lily's voice interrupted Rose's content bubble. "You've made your point. Can you please go back to opening presents before I lose my appetite for Christmas dinner?"

* * *

Rose finished unwrapping her last gift, smiling at the camera from her parents. Jim and Violet were away visiting Petunia for the morning (a decision Jim had not had any input in), leaving the house to themselves. Peter was busily sorting his presents in an order only he understood, while Remus and Lily debated the hidden meanings of ancient runes - naturally talking homework on Christmas morning. James had his head in the fireplace, talking to his mum and dad (as he did every Christmas), his feet shifting idly every now and then. "Tying his shoelaces together again would be immature, wouldn't it?" Sirius wondered, eyes fixed on James's feet.

"Ever so slightly, yes Siri" Rose admitted, stretching her cramped muscles out. "And he probably expects something like that. It'll drive him nuts trying to figure out why you didn't. Or what you're planning instead."

"And that is why I love you, Rosebud" Sirius smirked, eyes dancing. "C'mon, I've got something for you." Rose swirled the dregs of her tea in its cup.

"Being here, safe and Marauder-like is more than enough, Sirius."

"And that's why it's not, my Rosebud." He took her hands and pulled her to her feet, Remus taking the chance to stretch out wider and use the space to demonstrate his points. Rose laughed at the sight, heeding the tugging on her hands to follow Sirius.

* * *

He led her upstairs, and into the guest bedroom he usually occupied. Archimedes hooted dolefully from the top of the wardrobe, some sort of rodent caught in his beak. The bed was neatly made, pressed linens tucked perfectly into the thick mattress. On top of the bed was an unread copy of the Daily Prophet, and two thin, square boxes wrapped in red and gold. Sirius paced to the window, looking older than the Marauders ever acted. Rose worried her bottom lip; so much had happened this year, the Marauders had changed even if they wouldn't or couldn't admit it. Sometimes, Rose thought that the events of the year had effected Sirius the most. Still, he turned to her with that smile, that eyes twinkling, face brightening, Godric I love you smile, and Rose felt the momentary trepidation fade away. "It's been one hell of a year, Rosebud " he said, chuckling a little. "1976 has been pretty awful, let's be honest. What with the Defense OWL fiasco, getting disowned, that disaster in Hogsmeade. But" his eyes twinkled brighter than ever. "We made it through, together, and I'm certain that 1977 is going to be our year."

"Of course it is" Rose agreed, Marauder confident. "We've gone through too much this year to foul it up for the next." Sirius smirked at her, half-sitting on his dresser.

"We may be about to fight a war, my love, but I have a feeling that we're in for something good too." Rose smiled at his easy confidence and assuredness, hearing Christmas music coming from downstairs. That could only mean one thing.

"Prongs has finished talking to his parents" she said, Sirius not batting an eye.

"Let him wait" Sirius waved a hand. "We've still got some unfinished business." Rose affected surprise.

"We do?" A bark-like laugh escaped the dog animagus, and he shook his head.

"Yes, we do, Rosebud." Sirius pushed off the dresser and sat beside Rose at the bottom of the bed. She thought, hoped, he might kiss her, but he just smirked that infuriating smirk and started talking. "My uncle, Alphard, was the black sheep of the Black family. But, he was rich, and Walburga was never going to disown him and risk never getting her hands on all that lovely gold. However, as you know, my uncle popped his clogs and left it all to me about a month ago." Unsure what he was getting at, Rose hummed a quiet assent and waited for Sirius to continue. Eventually, he dropped his hands back to his lap and did just that . "What I didn't know, until that delightful chap Twit told me, was that Alphard was in the possession of one or two priceless Black family heirlooms, so to speak. Alphard was always a connoisseur of beauty, as he liked to say. And I was stumped about what on Merlin's Earth to give you for Christmas, when I found that in my vault at Gringotts." An elegant tilt of his dark head had her looking back at the brightly wrapped boxes.

"Sirius-" He cut her off, but Rose already had an inkling of what he had done.

"Dorian Gray, Rosebud." She inwardly cursed his perfect memory and everything else about the bastard. He had her, of course, he was right and she knew it. Bastard. She slowly and deliberately (to make him pay) unwrapped the first box, marvelling at the intricate necklace box. "It's Edwardian" Sirius announced without even looking. "Seed pearl and garnet." It took her breath away. The gold was unblemished, the garnets almost fashioning as flowers while the pearls were inlaid into little golden leaves. She wouldn't dare wear it normally, but that wasn't what it was meant for. It was something more. A symbol, a promise, a sign of what he would give her if he could, how much she meant to him. Sirius came from old wealth and wizardry, where her 'kind' was hated as much as he hated Slytherins; for him to willingly give her Black family jewels, his only inheritance from his family, it meant more than words could say. It was perfect.

"Siri." Her voice came out as a mere breath, but it said everything she needed it to. Sirius smiled and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, he'd understood her.

"This other one, that's a little newer, but more special" he explained, sounding almost nervous. "This I'd buy you myself, if I could." Rose couldn't describe it other than perfection. Rose moulded, gem encrusted, diamond dropped perfection. She fingered the large center rose and beamed. She didn't even need to think before she was kissing him, pouring everything she couldn't say into it. He had no trouble translating, judging by the enthusiastic response. Finally, they broke apart, Sirius smiling her smile. "Come on, we've got to get back to the others" Sirius murmured regretfully. "I'm sure your sister is wondering where we've got to."

"And James is doubtlessly worrying about what you've got planned" Rose grinned, knowing all to well the way his mind worked.

"You say that like I've got something planned, Rosebud" Sirius smirked, eyes twinkling. Rose gave him a pointed look and he barked out a laugh. "I love how well you know me." She just laughed and pulled him to his feet, hearing Lily calling up the stairs to her.

"Coming, Lil!"

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Part 2 up on Christmas Eve.**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:**

**What's this? Me actually updating when I meant to, more or less?**

**Please enjoy the second part of Christmas in Cokeworth.**

**And have a merry and safe Christmas!**

_**Happy Holidays!**_

* * *

A mini Hogwarts Express ran around the bottom of the tree, sending little puffs of multicoloured steam into the air. James watched avidly, expression like a little boy watching something beyond comprehension. He'd changed out of his pyjamas and into jeans and a red Christmas jumper, Puddlemere United socks on his feet. Remus set out plates with cake and biscuits, tea steaming beside them. Rose descended the stairs and smiled. Now, this, this was Marauder Christmas all over. The curtains were open, showing the fresh snow from last night, while new snow drifted from the sky. Lily was curled up in a chair by the fireplace, reading a book and absently petting Snowflake. Peter sat by the window, watching the snow fall, a large box of Fudge Flies emptying beside him. Sirius sprawled across the couch, alternating between mocking James for his jumper and reading bits of The Portrait of Dorian Gray. Rose and Remus engaged in their usual awful (because they were both too happy to be good at it) game of wizards chess, their own players protesting at some of the atrocious moves they were employing.

"Don't send me!" a Bishop screeched, waving its little hat at Remus. "I'm a valuable piece. Send a pawn, they're supposed to be sacrificed!"

"Shut up" Remus muttered, prodding it along in its journey. Rose's Knight was only too happy to send it trudging off the board in defeat. Remus examined the chessboard, green eyes oddly intense. Rose, meanwhile, helped herself to a mince pie. "Rook to King seven, check."

"I hope you weren't too attached to that Castle, Rem" Rose hummed, taking a thoughtful sip of tea. "Queen to King seven, obliterate it." The white rook tumbled off the board and onto the floor, where Snowflake was only too happy to play with it. James, tiring of watching his choo-choo, came to Remus' aid, levelling the playing field within ten moves. "You're not supposed to take sides, Prongs" Rose protested, watching her Bishop get dragged off the board. James shrugged unapologetically.

"You've won the last two, Astra."

"And Moony won the three before that" Rose reminded him, throwing her hands in the air. James rubbed his chin while he thought that over.

"Well, I'm already helping him now. It'd be rude to stop."

"Knight to Bishop five" Sirius drawled, still engrossed in his book. "Checkmate." Remus examined the board, James chuckling with his whole body.

"Sirius!"

"Three-all" the dog animagus said calmly. "We'll just have to see who wins next year."

"Have I mentioned today?" Rose asked, getting Sirius' attention. He hummed a query and she laughed. "I bloody love you."

Lily stood in front of the fireplace, wand raised but unable to be seen from the windows. Every year, Lily always showed off her talents, and this year it was for the Marauders. She had always called it a Christmas present of sorts - one that took as much planning as a Marauder prank ("and that's what I use my brainpower on, Rosie!"). James, Remus and Peter stood by the couch while Sirius stood near the Christmas tree, all watching Lily. Sirius tiled his head curiously as Rose laid her head on his shoulder, watching the room fill with light and beauty. This was why Lily loved charms, she had a gift, and sharing it made it even better. Stars rained from the ceiling, falling down around dancing creatures (obviously inspired by the animals appearing in Marauder pranks), which changed to fireworks and then a charmed reenactment of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Unseen behind them, Jim and Violet had returned, and were watching with amazement. Their mothers green eyes were shining proudly, perfectly reflecting the emotion in Jim's smile. Rose felt them smiling, and grinned in pride; her sister was truly the most gifted witch of their age. It was no wonder that she had attracted the eye (and the heart, although he wouldn't admit it) of James Potter, it was only too well deserved. Rose didn't often think it, but she did have to wonder, if Lily was the brilliant one (which she most certainly was), then what in the name of Merlin's sock index was a gorgeous, perfect specimen like Sirius Black doing with her? "Shut up, Rosebud" Sirius breathed, words tickling her ear. She turned slightly to give him a quizzical look. "I can hear you thinking, and I think you're acting like Prongs." Rose shrugged, at least she was in good company. Even if she knew he meant it in the Prongs-is-a-berk way. A silent chuckle shook his body, but he still snaked his arm around her waist and held her to him possessively. "My Rosebud" he murmured, and Merlin but she couldn't help herself from kissing him. That man was entirely too perfect for his own good, or hers for that matter. Objectively, Rose knew that her parents were behind them, more or less, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Right now, her world had emptied to one, and Sirius seemed quite happy with her kissing him.

"That was beautiful, Evans" James said as the final note faded away. "Masterful charm work. Beyond NEWT level, right Moony?" Remus swallowed his mouthful of gingerbread stag and nodded proudly.

"Even we'd be hard pressed to execute charm work like that" the werewolf confessed honestly, without a trace of Marauder mischief. "It really was beautiful, Lily. Simply breathtaking." Lily blushed bright red, the curse of their fair complexion and red hair, but took a very Marauderish bow. Sometimes, just sometimes, Rose could see how much Lily was like her in some respects.

"I'm sure you Marauders have more tricks still up your collective sleeves" Lily remarked, uncomfortable with the praise from them. Sirius rolled his eyes at her. Some things never changed.

"Of course we do, Lilykins. We are the Marauders, after all. There is so much more to us than meets the eye."

"Except in the case of modesty" Remus muttered dryly. "Then, what you see is what you get; no modesty whatsoever." A cushion made perfect impact with Remus' head.

"Stuff off, Moony." Rose shook her head despairingly at the two of them.

"It's Christmas, for Merlin's sake, behave."

"I am the very soul of good behaviour, Rosebud" Sirius informed her, playfully offended. Rose put her hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow.

"And Merlin was a Hufflepuff." Sirius' reply came instantly, as she knew it would.

"Better that than a Slytherin."

"Better anything than a Slytherin, Pads" James remarked, nonchalant and calm. Too nonchalant by half. Rose felt a familiar tug on her Marauder senses.

"James Harold Fleamont Potter, what is brewing in that devious mind of yours?" James's mouth opened in an exaggerated expression of surprise.

"Me?" He clapped a hand to his heart. "You woundeth me, fair maiden."

"Only 'twere thee capable of such hurts, Noble Sir." Rose bit back a giggle; oh how she'd missed the Marauder Christmas Day antics.

"Now thou dost seek to wound, Lady" James gasped, happy to be dramatic. "Thine sharp tongue cuts to the bone."

"Sharp tongue?" Rose repeated askance - that really was going to far.

"Listen not to that currish knave, my Lady" Sirius interrupted, smooth as only he could be. James subtly gave him the finger, but Sirius didn't care. "Truly thou speakest the sweetest words ever to fall upon mine ears."

"Enough with the medieval flirting, you two" James shuddered. "Merlin." Sirius smirked widely, springing towards James.

"A duel! I demand satisfaction!" Remus grinned evilly.

"Clearly you're not doing it right, Rosie" the werewolf muttered, James and Sirius duelling around the room. Rose ignored his comment (and the embarrassing looks and sounds her family made - bloody Remus, couldn't keep his quips to himself, not that she blamed him; he was a Marauder), and kicked back on the couch. The morning had been long and exhausting, and while remembering the previous nights activities brought a blush to her cheeks, it couldn't be denied that it had also taken its toll on her energy levels.

"Kick Jamie's arse outside please, Siri" Rose yawned, eyes already closing. "I'm going to take a little nap."

"As my lady commands" Sirius replied charmingly, not helping her blushing at all. A muffled slap (like hitting the back of someone's head) reached her ears. "Come on. Outside, you git. Sleep well, Sweetheart."

Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song played softly in the kitchen, the delicious smells of cooking turkey and roasted chestnuts spreading through the house. Unlike Hogwarts, the Evans' had their Christmas meal at dinnertime, to perfectly round out a wonderful day. Jim had retreated to his den, trying to escape the mealtime insanity by feigning important work. Violet was finishing off dinner herself, refusing to let the others help. In the living room, the Marauders and Lily were enjoying the remainder of the afternoon. Remus had pulled a Marlene and appropriated her record player, appointing himself as the MC of the day. Currently (and by threat of severe bodily harm to his person if he didn't), he was playing David Bowie's Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars album. Lily, never Bowie's greatest fan, was suffering through it while penning a letter to Marlene, while Rose smiled widely. James and Sirius were playing some variation of wizards chess that only they understood, Peter cheering for both of them depending on who seemed to be winning. "We were there, weren't we?" The rat animagus spoke up. "Summer before third year?"

"July 3, 1973 at the Hammersmith Odion" Rose remembered, seeing the concert in her minds eye.

"I hate Glam Rock, but that was a great concert" James agreed, somewhat wistfully. Lily choked on thin air.

"You were there?! You told Mum and Dad that you were staying at the Potter's!"

"We did, Lily" Remus offered calmly.

"Yeah, we just went to the concert while we were there."

"Not helping, Peter" Lily said through gritted teeth. "Anything could have happened to you."

"Perhaps" Rose conceded, not going to apologise. "But it was David Bowie."

"And that justifies it" Sirius added smugly. And it did, everyone knew that Rose loved David Bowie's music more than anyone else's.

"And Ringo Starr was there" James piped up. "He was backstage with Bowie."

"And that's the only reason James was happy he turned up" Remus smirked, James screwing his face up at him.

"Merlin's beard" Lily shook her head. "Any more concerts you five have gone to?"

"Um, we caught Elton John's Louder Than Concord Tour in May this year" James shrugged, as if it wasn't anything big.

"And we saw Bowie again on his Isolar Tour at Empire Pool around the same time" Sirius mused, the only time they saw him at the time when he snuck out to join them.

"I hate you all" Lily grumbled, unable to believe their luck.

"If you've finished discussing concerts I didn't know you took my daughter to" Jim announced, surprising them all. Peter started so violently that he spilled his drink on himself. Sirius cleaned it with a wave of his wand.

"Your daughter loves David Bowie" Sirius informed him, as if he could miss the fact that her room was covered in posters of the man. "I'll take her to as many of the man's damn concerts as she wants. They're actually quite enjoyable." Jim looked at him and rolled his hazel eyes.

"Marauders." James raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Go on, you lot, outside."

"It's freezing out there, Dad" Lily shivered, not inclined to move. The Marauders echoed her sentiments. Jim was unmoved.

"Move."

Grumbling under their breath about dictatorial ex-lawyers and soon-to-be ex-judges, the Marauders trooped outside into the snow. Their breaths fogged the air in front of them, mixing with the smoke from the cigarettes James and Sirius promptly lit. Rose huddled deeper into her winter coat, cursing the cold with a plethora of anatomically impossible things. It was colder than Hogsmeade during a blizzard. Lily, smiling smugly, had been allowed to stay in the warm house, but the Marauders had no choice in the matter whatsoever. Jim led the way towards the garage, where he'd spent the majority of their stay so far. Rose knew that her father kept motorcycles in there, remnants of what he called his wild youth. What exactly that 'wild youth' entailed, she preferred not to think about; he was her father, after all. "It's a beautiful evening" James murmured, looking around. "Pity we can't make this a transformative experience."

"Quit it with the puns, Prongs" Remus grumbled, stamping his feet in the snow. "I can't feel my nose." James made a show of exaggeratedly peering at his face.

"Trust me, it's still there." Jim smiled at their antics, using their distraction to open the door of the garage.

"Inside" Jim called, waving them all in. Rose dashed in first, shivering from the cold outside. Her body tingled as arms encircled her waist, pulling her gently against a warm body. She instinctively leaned into the warmth, a familiar chuckle rumbling through her. Sirius. The liberty he was taking should have infuriated her (much like the man himself did on some occasions), but he was so warm and comfortable and safe, and there was nowhere she would rather be. Besides, she'd always loved being in his arms.

"Cold" she murmured, for his ears alone.

"I know, Sweetheart" Sirius replied, equally as softly. "But it is winter."

"I would never have guessed" Rose snarked sarcastically. "Here was me thinking we lived in New Zealand and were enjoying a nice summer Christmas."

"That sounds like an idea" James grinned, peering at the various tools Jim kept. "What do you say? Christmas 1978, we go to New Zealand. Enjoy a summer Christmas for once."

"You'd be miserable, Prongs" Remus pointed out, quite reasonably to his mind. "You love white Christmases."

"True" James inclined his head. "However, as you do rightly said Mr Moony, I also like being able to feel my face."

"Why?" Sirius smirked, a shit-eating grin following. "With a face like yours, I'd be glad not to feel it."

"Piss off, Black" James scowled, Rose sharing a laughter filled glance with her father.

"Why are we in here, Dad?" Rose asked, cutting seamlessly through the Potter/Black glare-off. Jim raised his eyebrows at her in what she thought was surprise.

"I thought you of all people would know, Rosie" Jim replied easily. "It was your idea, after all."

"My idea" Rose repeated blankly, realisation hitting her as her father looked pointedly around. "Oh Daddy, you didn't?"

"I most certainly did, Rosie" Jim grinned, looking ten years younger and very much like her.

"Did what?" Peter wondered, looking almost afraid to ask.

"This" Jim winked, grandly lifting a large cloth and throwing it away. Sirius' mouth dropped open.

"What in Godric's name is that?" James demanded, squinting through his suddenly foggy glasses.

"It's a 1959 Triumph 650 T 120 Bonneville" Sirius said, amazed. "Perfect condition. Beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so" Jim smiled, twirling the keys around his finger. And Lily said she had no idea where Rose got her Marauder side from. "She's yours. Merry Christmas." Rose glanced at Sirius and immediately broke into a fit of very Marauderish giggles. He looked like he'd been clubbed over the head by a troll. "Rose" her father chided, the tone having no impact on her laughter. James poked Sirius, finally succeeding in breaking him out of whatever fugue he'd fallen into.

"Merlin" Sirius breathed, looking at a loss for words. "Jim this is-"

"Certainly worth less than the presents you gave my daughter" Jim said firmly. "And that doesn't matter. It's a gift. One that Rose suggested and you more than deserve." Sirius surprised Rose by laughing bitterly.

"How the bloody hell do I deserve this?" James looked pained, as if he had expected something like this. But he tugged Remus out of the garage and had Peter follow with nothing more than a look. Rose was aware of that peripherally, her focus instead on Sirius. He looked haunted, guilty, tired.

"Siri?" She moved towards him, but her father shook his head, doing so instead of her.

"Okay" Jim said calmly, ever the good listener. "Tell me why you don't think you deserve all this and more?" Sirius' grey eyes fixed on Jim's with a frightening intensity.

"Because I failed in the one area you trusted me" Sirius replied passionately. "You trusted me to keep her safe, happy and out of danger. You could see how- and I failed that. My cousin, my birthday, Hogsmeade" Sirius spat it bitterly. "She might not blame me, but I sure as hell do." Rose covered her mouth, keeping in the noise of distress she longed to release. Sirius cut his gaze to her, looking at her without seeing her. "I still see it sometimes. You can't imagine how it destroyed me watching but knowing there was nothing on Merlin's magical Earth that I could do to stop it. The largest part of my world and there was nothing I could do-"

"Your Professor McGonagall wrote to me" Jim stated, startling Rose (and Sirius too, by the look of it). "When I read what happened, I was terrified. But I read on. The rubble fell on you instead of my daughter. You sat beside her, calling her back to us, even when it seemed hopeless. You held her when she screamed and when she cried and when the nightmares got the better of her." Rose felt her mouth drop open; she didn't know what had really happened, Sirius wouldn't- couldn't tell her. "You got disowned by your own family because you couldn't become what they wanted of you; because you love my daughter. You brought her back to us, and you make her happier than I've ever seen her. I don't see any of that as a failure." Jim pressed the keys into Sirius' hand. "This is yours. Merry Christmas." With that, he left the garage, Rose still staring helplessly at the man she loved. She watched, detached, as he ran his hands over the bike, a broken light in his gorgeous eyes. As suddenly as a lightning strike, Sirius turned, walked two strides to her side, and crashed his mouth to hers in a desperate kiss. Hurting from what he had been going through, Rose let him take what comfort and reassurance he could, her hands fisting the warm material of his jumper. Sirius pulled away first, dropping his head onto her shoulder, body heaving with unvoiced sobs. Rose ran her hand through his hair, murmuring whatever nonsense came to mind, not realising that it was the lyrics to his favourite song.

"I love you, more than I could ever, ever express" Sirius said, voice hoarse. "Watching her doing that to you, Rosebud-"

"I know" she breathed, finding the words true. "Every time you came back from that awful place, I could see the pain and the suffering they'd caused you and I wanted, want nothing more than to curse them all to the very depths of hell. But at the end of the day, Remus helped me realise that no matter what we've gone through, what matters is that we're here now; happy, safe and together."

"Godric, I love you" Sirius growled, eyes burning fiercely. "Only you, Rosebud, would talk Jim into giving me a bike for Christmas."

"I couldn't think of anything else to top Dorian Gray" Rose shrugged, reveling in the bark of laughter that prompted.

"Come on" Sirius said, pulling away from her regretfully. "I suppose we better go prove that we haven't gone mad in the last fifteen minutes."

"In a minute" Rose hummed, pulling his lips back to hers. She wasn't in any hurry. And neither, it seemed, was Sirius.

In true Marauder fashion, not a word of what transpired in the garage was mentioned when Sirius and Rose returned to the house. Remus raised an eyebrow at the mess that was Rose's hair (Sirius did seem to have a fascination with it), and James might have smirked just a bit too wide to be entirely innocent, but that was just the way that life with the Marauders went. Sirius slipped off to offer sincere thanks to Jim, Lily even managing not to look scandalised at the thought of a Marauder on a motorbike, not that she had much choice in the matter. Sirius returned to Rose's side, lacing his fingers with hers, and started to loudly sing wizarding Christmas carols with James making up funny alternative lyrics. Rose couldn't be sure, but she was almost positive that they all started giggling at Lily's improvised Oh Come All Ye Boxes Of Crystallised Pineapple. Clearly she was still annoyed about the fiasco that was the Slug's Christmas soiree; Snivelly, spiked punch and Lily did not a good party make. "No, no, no" Peter laughed, wheezing for breath. The eggnog was flowing quite freely at this point. "We have to do Grandma Got Run Over By A Puffskein."

"That one's just silly, Wormy" Rose giggled, high on the seasons happiness. "What about Hark! The Herald Werewolves Sing?"

"No, no, definitely not" Remus vetoed, no trace of a glare in his eyes. He waved his cup of eggnog gleefully. "What about Rudolph the Red Nosed Unicorn?"

"It's Red Nosed Thestral, and you know it, Remus John Lupin" Rose mock-growled, unknowingly resting a hand on Sirius' thigh while leaning forward to point accusingly at her best friend. Sirius coughed awkwardly, forgoing his eggnog and taking her hand in his.

"How about we stop butchering Christmas songs and see what the wireless has in store for us?" James suggested, subtly using his quidditch Captain tone.

"Boo" Peter tossed a bright orange cushion at James, hitting him square on the nose.

"Nice shot, Wormtail" Sirius applauded, Peter beaming at the praise. "But I must agree with the soppy Flobberworm that is our intrepid leader. We must to the wireless."

"The wireless can wait" Violet announced, standing in the doorway with flushed cheeks. "Dinner is ready."

"Thank Merlin" Lily smiled widely. "I'm famished." She turned and pointed dangerously at Sirius. "Not a word, Black." Sirius affected an innocent expression.

"Your mistrust cuts me to the core, Lilykins."

"Behave" Rose grinned, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "She has good reason." Sirius seemed to be about to formulate a response, Remus quickly cutting over him.

"Don't be so dramatic, I'm hungry." James gasped in horror, widening his eyes behind his glasses.

"Merlin preserve us. A hungry Moony out of its native habitat."

"Dinner" Violet called, her motherly tone brooking no argument.

"Yes ma'am" Remus replied immediately, all but dragging everyone into the warm dining room.

Dinner was a noisy affair. Remus and Lily brought Violet up to speed on the more sedate aspects of life at Hogwarts; talking over classes, homework, professors and friends. At the other end of the table, Peter and Rose listened (and ended up laughing most of the time) as James and Sirius regaled Jim with tales of their awful and criminally inept Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor. "So, of course" James was saying, mischief in his eyes. "We had no choice but to prank the living daylights out of old Grim Grimhorn."

"Your hands were tied" Jim deadpanned, James throwing his head back in laughter.

"Exactly" Sirius made a complicated little gesture with his hands, the chestnuts floating down the table to him. Asking for anything was apparently beyond him.

"What did you five do to the poor man?" Jim asked, forehead wrinkled in faux-worry.

"Nothing he didn't deserve" Peter smirked, blue eyes dancing.

"Just lots of little things to really drive him up the wall" Rose grinned, Sirius leaning back in his chair with a self-satisfied expression. "We got the House Elves - Lenny, Splotch, and Twiddle - to short-sheet his bed every night for a fortnight, introduced a niffler into his rooms, put itching powder in his underwear, changed his shampoo with super glue-"

"Rosie's idea" James interrupted, swallowing a mouthful of turkey. Rose inclined her head, accepting the credit for that one.

"Then" Sirius smirked, not bothering to hide his most mischievous smirk. "We might have escalated a little bit. We charmed-"

"You charmed" Remus cut in, smirking widely. Sirius narrowed his eyes but continued.

"Fine, I charmed all his books to display inventive rhyme, and-"

"I encouraged his do it yourself Gnomish books to teach him a selective and important core vocabulary" James smirked, looking like the villain from a Bond film. Lily blanched but laughed anyway.

"You're the reason that Professor Grimhorn tried to have a conversation with Dumbledore and ended up swearing at him in front of the entire School?!"

"Guilty as charged, Lily-flower" James agreed, insufferably pleased with himself. "He deserved it."

"You made him swear at Dumbledore?" Remus looked horrified. "Why wasn't I there to stop you?"

"You were feeling a bit under the weather, mate" James explained sheepishly. "Pads and I felt it best not to interrupt you when you were ill and trying to deal with your Furry Little Problem."

"That is a pathetic excuse, James Potter" Remus glared, for once not looking worried that his secret might get out.

"Don't be such an ignoramus, Rem" James smirked, waving his hand carelessly. "We did what had to be done. For the good of the Marauders. We're not going to let some awful Ministry approved moron tell us what we are or aren't qualified to learn. We are the bloody Marauders, if anyone decides what we learn, it's going to bloody well be us."

"Hear, hear" Peter cheered, saluting with a forkful of roast potatoes.

"Rousing speech, Prongs" Sirius drawled, looking singularly unimpressed. "A true masterpiece, really. Now eat your turkey."

"I just gave a heartfelt speech in defense of our honour and our magical capabilities, and you tell me to eat my turkey" James smiled sarcastically. "That really makes me feel all warm inside, Pads." Sirius cast his eyes heavenward.

"I was hoping, foolishly obviously, that if you had some turkey in that ever-open gob, then you might shut the Salazar up for five minutes" Sirius explained. James flipped him the double V's. Remus tossed a bit of bread roll at him, eyes twinkling brilliantly. James smirked back, settling back into his seat with a content smile.

"I can't believe you five" Lily glowered, finally understanding. "You're trying to run Professor Grimhorn out of school!"

"He's doomed anyway, Evans" James shrugged carelessly. "We're just helping him on his way."

"This isn't the sort of thing that should happen with want of encouragement" Sirius added, smirking his most mischievous Marauder smirk.

"I don't want to know" Lily decided swiftly, holding both her hands up.

"Of course not" Remus agreed easily. "You need plausible deniability. You're a prefect after all." Lily gaped at him in disbelief.

"So are you!" Remus conceded her point with an easy smile.

"True" he said, calmly setting down his cutlery. "But I'm a Marauder first and foremost; we don't get plausible deniability." He tilted his head like a wolf scenting prey. "Detentions, on the other hand..."

"Don't be such a girl, Moony" Sirius laughed, teeth flashing. "You're the mastermind behind many a Marauder prank." Remus gave him his dryest, most infuriatingly superior smirk.

"Did I give you the impression that I was complaining, Padfoot?" Sirius remained unmoved.

"Constantly."

"Good" Remus smirked, satisfied. "I'm doing my job well then."

"Boys" Rose interrupted tiredly. "It's Christmas, remember?"

"So no starting food fights that end with flaming puddings down Slytherin's pants" James and Sirius chorused, Jim chuckling at the mental picture.

"Don't worry, Rosebud" Sirius continued. "We'll behave until the crackers get pulled." He waved a large red one in demonstration. "Then, I can make no promises."

"We'll take what we can get" Lily muttered, returning to describing winter at Hogwarts for their mother.

"Is it really that beautiful, Rosie?" Violet asked, her own emerald eyes wistful. Rose broke away from a playful Classical versus Bowie debate with Remus (he had the oddest musical taste), and smiled.

"No description could ever do it justice" Rose assured her, seeing it in her minds eye. "It's like something out of a fairytale, and it glitters, Mum, like tiny specks of diamond." At a glance, Remus picked up the thread, always happy to make people see Hogwarts like he did.

"There's a covered wooden bridge that we spend a lot of time on, crossing between the clocktower and the sundial garden" his eyes grew wistful, wishing he was there. "It has the most beautiful view of the mountains and the grounds, but it's so quiet, so still. If I had to pick the most peaceful place in Hogwarts, that's the one I'd choose."

"Midnight" Sirius said, voice oddly quiet. Rose could see him picturing himself there. "Under the Beech tree in the grounds. Nowhere more peaceful than that."

"The quidditch pitch" James decided, nodding once. "It's the place where I go to put things in perspective. There's almost no problem you can't solve by thinking on the quidditch pitch."

"When I want peace, I go to the waterfall near the quidditch pitch" Lily murmured softly. "I find it a good place to reflect on things."

"The Attic" Peter shrugged unashamedly. "They're big and nobody can ever find me in there."

"Rosebud?" Sirius asked teasingly. "Do we need to ask?"

"Not everyone here is a Marauder who always knows where to find me, Siri" Rose playfully chided.

"So where is our Rosie's peaceful place?" Violet asked, taking Rose somewhat aback. Her Mum had always been closer with Lily and Petunia, but she never doubted that she loved her.

"Me?" Rose repeated, eyes twinkling. "Top of the Astronomy Tower. Any time of day or night. There's an orrery and star charts and-" she clamped down on her enthusiasm. Nobody at Hogwarts actually enjoyed the trial that was Astronomy class. Even her fellow Marauders found it a bit taxing at times. Although, she granted that it was after she made them traipse all the way up there on a whim. "I like it up there."

"It is a lovely view" James conceded.

"Ha!" Peter scoffed. "You're scared of it because Padfoot keeps threatening to chuck you off there."

"That was delicious!" Jim announced out of the blue, pushing his plate away from himself. Violet smiled lovingly at him, Rose looking away uncomfortably. Sweet Merlin, that was something she did not need to see.

"Would you like some help cleaning up, Mrs E?" Sirius asked charmingly, already on his feet. Rose saw his brilliant plan and helped at once, soon laden down with plates and platters. Lily and the other Marauders soon followed suit, letting Violet and Jim have a few moments peace.

Rose flopped onto the couch, groaning in relief. After dinner, Violet had insisted on them all taking a walk around the local park. The casual exercise had turned into two hours chatting with some of the very people Rose hoped to avoid at the annual Cokeworth Christmas Pageant. She could've sworn that she'd seen Tobias and Eileen Snape before Snivelly's parents realised they had something better to do. She smothered another groan with a cushion, so glad to be home. Seeing the elder Snape's had effectively brought an end to the evening, Jim and Violet going up to bed as soon as they got home. James and Sirius were in the garage, working to make Sirius' new motorcycle fly, Remus was curled in his chair with a new book, and Peter and Lily had followed the elder Evans' example. The silence in the house was total, nothing but quiet breathing and the odd rustle of paper. "I really hate it here, Rem" she sighed, feeling Remus' gaze fall upon her. "It'll always be my childhood home, but it doesn't really feel like home anymore. Home isn't quiet and dull and boring and still. Home is magic and mischief and moons and Marauders." Remus looked at her, eyes unreadable in the light from the Christmas tree.

"I know" he said eventually. "I think it's a part of growing up. Home changes, becomes what's important, what makes you feel safe and like you belong." He marked his page and set his book to the side. "Hogsmeade truly awakened us to the war, to what we know we're willingly going to face in a little more than a year. That kind of realisation" Remus shook his head. "We went from mischief makers to sixth years who lost that carefree innocence. Safety isn't something as tangible as our parents, our childhood home. Old ideals. Lucky thing is, we're a pack. Rely on each other before everyone else. Dumbledore thinks that's why we coped so well with the aftermath of Hogsmeade."

"We're Marauders, so we're made of sterner stuff?" Rose queried, not exactly bitterly, but not without bitterness. Remus met her gaze with eyes that looked almost brown with pointed belief.

"It's not every thirteen year old witch or wizard that decides to become an unregistered animagus just to keep a werewolf company every full moon" he murmured without judgement. "And there's even fewer who'd dare to do so under the cat-like gaze of Minerva McGonagall."

"Touche, Remus" Rose smiled. It was a slight smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Oh, Rem" she sighed. "Sometimes I get so scared."

"We'd be insane if we didn't" he replied wisely, never afraid to admit weakness to her. "I mean, look at us. Not even of age, and we're facing war. A war against dark wizards with dark magic, dark creatures, and Godric only knows what other obstacles will be thrown in our way. What was that Godric Gryffindor said? Courage is" Remus snapped his fingers, trying to remember. Rose drew a mental blank too. A sigh carried over to them from the doorway, James and Sirius looking dirty but happy.

"Courage" James stated, a certain gravity to his words. "Is not the absence of fear, but rather the realisation that something is greater and more important than what you fear could ever be."

"Strange bastard, your ancestor, Prongs" Sirius drawled, dismissing the cloud that had begun to gather.

"He was mates with Slytherin for a while" James admitted, eyes twinkling. "That's bound to drive someone potty."

"And so neatly explains generations of potty Potter's" Remus smirked, lazily deflecting James's reflexive hex. "Have we got plans for tomorrow?" Rose felt a spark of worry as both black haired Marauders wore identical cunning smirks.

"Yes" Sirius acknowledged, holding up a finger to stall the inevitable questions. "But we're not saying a word until we get there. It's a surprise." Try though Rose did, she couldn't get Sirius to say what the surprise was. Not even after James and Remus retired for the night.

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**Thank you for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:**

**Hi everyone! I hope January is treating you well.**

**Updates will continue to be sporadic, I'm afraid. This is currently due to a crippling case of writers block affecting me across all my stories and fandoms.**

**I know where I want this story to go, finding the right words is becoming rather challenging is all.**

**Only one more chapter already written, but I'll get it up by February, I promise.**

**Until then, I hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

A crystal ballroom, filled with stars, gentle instrumental music, a cocoon of warmth. It was a dream, but as far as dreams of dancing under the stars went, it was pretty perfect. Distant strains of music, Glam Rock, broke the lulling bubble, like shattering crystal. David Bowie wondered who could love Aladdin Sane, but Rose wasn't feeling too pleased with him at the moment. Alas, it was Bowie, so she followed the call to consciousness - as if she could ignore her favourite artist. Lily was smirking at her from her wingback chair, Snowflake curling around her ankles. Hermes hooted balefully from the top of her armoire, bright eyes fixed on Snowflake. Rose groaned at the mischievous light in her twin sister's eyes, knowing that it never meant anything good. Lily despised mischief, so it really took some doing for her to act mischievous of her own volition. "Spit it out, Lil" Rose sighed, smothering a yawn. "I don't have all day." She tilted her head like an owl. "At least I'm told I don't."

"No, you don't" Lily agreed cheerfully, far too chipper for boxing day. "The pain in my arse's pain in the arse best mate says it's time to get up and get dressed to go out. He wanted to wake you himself, but Remus was busy threatening valuable parts of his anatomy." Lily smiled evilly. "So, I got volunteered. Black even made me promise to be 'nice' and put that on so you weren't all Petunia-like when you woke up."

"Considerate, isn't he?" Rose yawned, glaring unhappily at her clock. "Just once I'd love to sleep in without being up pranking half the night, or recovering from Bellatrix." She looked pointedly at her twin. "Is that so much to ask?"

"Your fault for being a night owl, Rosie" her twin shrugged happily. "Besides, Black mentioned something about a surprise while running from Remus."

"Sirius will say anything is a surprise if he thinks it'll make him sound more mysterious" Rose laughed. After all this time together, Lily still didn't understand the Marauders. Lily smiled her agreement, trying to avoid the many incarnations of David Bowie on her walls. The most recent was a black and white poster of the Thin White Duke that the Girls had sent her for Christmas. There were also far too many wizarding pictures of the Marauders to count, all of which made it very hard to see the original colour of the walls. Not that Rose was complaining; she would much rather see David Bowie and the Marauders than not.

"Astra!" Peter yelled, running into the room, red faced from his effort. "You've got to come downstairs. Moony's going to kill Padfoot and then where will we be?"

"Rem isn't going to kill anyone" Rose sighed, feeling McGonagall's pain for a brief moment. Merlin were they a handful. "He just hates not getting his beauty sleep."

"Anyway" Lily interrupted swiftly. "Why isn't Potter helping?" Peter glanced at Lily, and had the decency to look embarrassed. Good Godric, what had that stag gotten himself into now?

"Prongs is hiding under the kitchen table, nursing the spot where Moony accidentally threw a fork at him instead of Padfoot." Lily burst into delighted laughter, emerald eyes sparkling. Rose, on the other hand, dropped her face into her pillow.

"Merlin's left-"

"Language, Lady Astra." Rose stopped and levelled a glare in the direction of the teasing voice. Sirius leaned elegantly against the wall, looking incredibly handsome in black jeans, a Queen t-shirt he'd bought at a concert, and a black leather jacket. A smug smirk completed the ensemble nicely. He knew how good he looked, and looked nothing like he'd just been chased by an angry werewolf. Whereas Rose probably looked like she had. Typical. His grey eyes flicked over her with amusement before coming to rest on her with something that looked far more like heat. "Good morning, Rosebud." Peter squeaked and fled the room. Lily rolled her eyes and followed.

"Sirius " Rose replied, a little ungraciously . His smirk widened, but he wisely made no comment. As he'd said himself, he knew that she hated mornings with a fiery passion reserved only for members of the Slytherin house. "I don't suppose you are going to let me in on your surprise now?"

"Not yet, Sweetheart" Sirius agreed, absently tossing an owl treat up at Hermes. "But we are getting breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron if that makes you more inclined to grace us with the pleasure of your company."

"Stop with the flirting" Rose huffed, busying herself with a book to keep Sirius from seeing her blush. "I won't know what to do with myself."

"If I might suggest getting dressed, Rosebud" Sirius offered with another smirk. "Unless that is you want to have breakfast in that fetching ensemble. I am rather partial, but..." Sirius let his voice trail off rather tellingly. A new surge of heat brightened her cheeks. Of course he'd love her to parade around in public in little more than one of his old shirts. Possessive bastard.

"I'll just get dressed now then, shall I?" Rose checked, making a show of going over to her dresser. Rose smirked at the abrupt intake of breath from the doorway. Really, it was Sirius' own fault. He of all people should know better than to challenge a Marauder. She hummed happily along with the Aladdin Sane album as she selected a Ziggy Stardust T-shirt to go with her purple cords and long black coat. Sirius shook his head at her, his eyes dark.

"You, love, are a Marauder" he told her, kissing her once on lips before making a graceful exit. She wasted no time in getting ready, curiosity itching away about what Sirius and James were planning that needed to be kept so secret.

* * *

James was rubbing his bicep, grumbling into his tea, when Rose descended the stairs. Remus had his head buried in a book, his free hand idly holding onto a full mug of tea. Peter helped Violet cook something at the stove, while Lily seemed to be in a three-way debate with Sirius and Jim about the logistics of actually making his motorcycle fly. "I see now" Rose teased, leaning against the table. "The surprise is you actually getting along with Lily."

"Ha!" Sirius scoffed, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I said surprise, Rosebud, not bloody miracle."

"How true" Rose agreed, sharing a smirk with Remus. "What in the name of Merlin's saggiest y-fronts was I thinking?"

"That it's time to go?" James suggested hopefully. "I don't much fancy getting attacked by cutlery again." Peter patted him on the shoulder.

"Poor Pronsgy."

"We can leave you behind, Wormtail" James threatened, ignoring Lily's glare. "But really you lot, we're going to be late."

"A Marauder is never late, James Potter" Remus announced severely. "Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

"You are such a swot" Sirius laughed, ruffling his hair fondly. Remus pushed his hand away, glowering.

"I still haven't forgiven you for waking me up, Padfoot."

"Yes, you have" Rose trilled, turning up the radio as high as she could for Life On Mars, her favourite song ever. Remus watched in a sort of resigned fondness as they hovered about the kitchen for the entirety of the song. Sirius even deigned to sing quietly along with that smooth voice of his. Sirius and David Bowie, Rose really felt spoiled. Of course, there was one person who looked a little unhappy; Lily was watching them like she was seeing a door closing in her face. It was almost as if Lily thought that whatever they had done this Christmas, she was still losing Rose to the Marauders. That was one of the many reasons that Lily hated James so much; they were fighting a war for Rose that she didn't know existed, and the Marauders had won by a landslide. Rose ached for her twin, but there was nothing she could do. The Marauders were her family, she was in love with Sirius, they were the wolf pack of Hogwarts. Her place was with the Marauders, but Lily was far too stubborn to see that the same was waiting to apply for her. James wanted to offer it all to her, any fool could see he worshipped her, so why was it so hard for Lily to let go of her damned prejudices and give the both of them a chance at real, lasting happiness? Sirius broke her thoughts with the lightest brush of his hand. His grey eyes bore into hers with an intensity that suggested he knew where her thoughts had been and he hurt along with her. For James. Still, there was nothing he could do with everyone else in the room; no words could be spoken on the matter in front of the affected parties, not that they would welcome it even in secret. Rose smiled sadly as the last notes of the beautiful song faded away.

"Now we really have to go" James stated with a touch of desperation, ushering them all outside. "Bye, Evanses!"

"You're worse than Peter" Sirius mourned, shaking his head. "But, we must away." Remus crossed his arms over his jumper.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell us where we're going now?" Sirius gave him his best mischievous smirk - the one that meant nothing good for the person on the other end - and threw his arm around Remus' shoulders .

"London."

* * *

In true Marauder fashion, James and Sirius had rented out a private dining room in the Leaky Cauldron, not wanting to risk mingling with anyone of a Death Eater/blood Puritan scumbag persuasion. Tom, the ever faithful bartender, welcomed them with his usual toothy smile, returning almost instantly with platters of Full English breakfasts . Peter tucked in right away, Rose choosing a stuffed omelette for her breakfast. Throughout the meal, Sirius and James communicated mostly with significant looks and silent exchanges, Sirius' left hand never very far from touching some part of Rose. Not that she minded at all. Remus saw his chance to eat like the majority of Ravenclaw and took it, propping up his Advanced Defense textbook on a jug and reading it while he ate. James amused himself by aiming bits of fried bread at the book, cheering every time it made contact. Remus then got retribution in the form of the orange juice getting a mind of its own and pouring itself into James's lap. His resulting yelp was hilarious. Rose accidentally inhaled some of her tea, and bent over, spluttering and laughing and trying hard to keep breathing. Peter pounded her on the back with Hagrid like exuberance, wilting back into his chair at a furious glare from Sirius. James waved his wand and cleaned up the mess on his jeans, glaring petulantly at an utterly unrepentant Remus. The prongs of his fork stabbed viciously into a bystanding sausage. "I have half a mind to cancel today's sojourn" the stag grumbled, Sirius raising an eyebrow in a way that clearly said 'oh, yes?'.

"And just what is the purpose of today's sojourn, Prongs?" Rose invited, turning hopeful eyes upon him. James wagged a finger at her chidingly.

"Never you mind."

"Oh, but I do mind, James" Rose replied calmly, polishing off the last of her delicious omelette.

"Patience is a virtue" James sang.

"Not for a Marauder" Sirius replied, seemingly without thought. James glared at him, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Whose side are you on here, Pads?"

"Whichever side pisses you off more, mate" Sirius smirked, James giving this the consideration it was due.

"Fair enough." Suddenly, Remus slammed his book shut and fixed his most unimpressed look on James.

"I hate surprises" he said in a carefully conversational tone. "I hate them with the fire of a thousand fiendfyre curses. So" he waved his hand around invitingly "would someone please tell me why in the name of Merlin's left buttock we are here and where we are going?" James grinned unrepentantly.

"Why we're here you'll see" the stag announced calmly. "And where do you think we're going? Why, Diagon Alley of course." Why exactly that made Remus grin brightly, Rose wasn't quite sure, but James looked pleased with himself so she let it go. James then took to bouncing around them all like an excitable puppy, throwing his arms around them and generally acting overly affectionate. Sirius and Remus took this for only so long. Then, they grabbed his arms and hauled him down to the entrance to Diagon Alley.

* * *

James whistled as he led the Marauders down the familiar sidewalk of the wizarding shopping street. He glared at the vendors trying to con them out of their gold with promises of protection. He ignored Quality Quidditch Supplies, and didn't even blink as they passed Gambol and Japes. Remus wove his arm through Rose's. Mischief danced in his eyes. "I think something's wrong with Prongs."

"Nothing's wrong with me, Moony" James replied, putting a little bounce in his step. "I'm a stag, in case you were worried."

"It's a lovely, freezing day for a stroll down Diagon Alley, isn't it?" Peter grumbled, nose and cheeks red from the cold. James flicked his wand at him and Peter sighed in relief. "Thanks, Prongs."

"Where are we going, Prongs?" Remus asked with the air of a man knowing he wasn't going to get a decent answer. James gestured grandly up the road, pointing to- was that an empty store?

"Number 87 Diagon Alley" he announced grandly. "Former premises of Monsieur W. C. Villebourne, wizarding chocolatier." Remus peered towards the dusty and abandoned shop with great curiosity. The mere mention of the word _chocolate_ and he was interested .

"Tell me more."

"Villebourne went out of business when he married a muggle-born witch against the wishes of a family known as the Black's" James sighed, glancing apologetically at Sirius. "They kicked him out of his own business about fifty years ago, bought out the shop." Remus' jaw twitched in irritation. Danger, Will Robinson. James hastened to continue. Smart man, not wanting to risk the wrath of Remus. "Fortunately, Sirius' Uncle Alphard was one canny bastard." Sirius took this as his cue to interrupt.

"He royally screwed over our deranged family, and put the property - which he had inherited upon my grandfather's death - into a special trust."

"A trust which conveniently allowed us to purchase the property and give the finger to Orion and Walburga in a spectacular fashion" James finished, smirking triumphantly.

"I'm confused" Peter stated, a pained expression on his face.

"Thought you would be" James agreed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on. We'll show you around."

"About bloody time too" Sirius muttered, James ignoring him cheerfully. For a moment, Remus looked as though he was quite envious of that particular talent of James'. To be fair, a lot of people were envious of James's abilities to ignore Sirius Black.

* * *

The ground floor of Number 87 Diagon Alley was, frankly speaking, a tip. Remnants of the chocolate business remained even after all that time, Remus even finding a bar of chocolate that he ate with excuse that chocolate never went off. It was spacious enough, not that they would ever actually use the ground floor for anything; the glass storefront wasn't conducive to privacy. However, the upstairs was utterly spectacular. Large and open, it was completely empty, a clean slate for them to do with as they saw fit. The entrance led straight into the kitchen, then a step down took them into the empty area James called the living area. To the left was a single door that led into a corridor that led into a dead end. Rooms branched off from the corridor, to the left a bedroom, the bathroom, and another bedroom, then the closet. To the right were three bedrooms all in a row. Each room was exactly the same size, doubtlessly the magic of the ever-fair Remus Lupin. James gathered them in the empty living room, hazel eyes glittering hopefully at them. "What do you think?"

"Add some Gryffindor colours and you've got yourself a nice place" Remus observed, James slapping the back of his head. Try as he might, Rose didn't believe he hadn't been here before.

"It's ours, all five of ours." Rose felt her mouth drop open. It was something they had always talked of, but she never thought it would actually happen. James grinned widely, rubbing his hands together. "We've got the rest of the holiday to fix it up, then Pads and I were thinking we could come here during the Easter break, but" he visibily reined himself in. "If you don't like it-"

"Shut up, Prongs" Remus said for all of them. "It's perfect."

"Which is my room?" Peter asked eagerly.

"First on the left" Sirius pointed, crooking a finger. "Then Moony, Prongs and I on the right. Rosebud, you're on the far left."

"Thanks, love" Rose smiled, bouncing a little in place. "What are we doing about paint and furniture?" What? She was still a girl, capable of thinking of creature comforts.

"All taken care of" James explained quickly. "The beds and bedroom furniture are being delivered tomorrow. The living room/kitchen stuff when we've finished everything in here."

"What the berk is saying" Sirius clarified with a helpful drawl. "Is that we've only got today to paint the bedrooms." Remus looked, not for the first time, like he wanted to bounce his head off the wall.

"We have no paint."

"Wizarding paint, in the rooms" James dismissed, walking towards his own room. "Tap the lid with your wand and think of the colour you want, then paint away." Rose made a face at his back, Remus winking at her, then glanced at her clothes. She liked her shirt.

"Oh well" she sighed, opening the door to her room. It had two lovely windows that let in grey London sunlight, and smooth wood flooring. True to James's word, half a dozen cans of paint waited for her on the floor, along with assorted rollers and paint brushes. Her wand tapped the top of the first can, the paint inside turning exactly the shade she wanted. "All right then" she rubbed her hands together. "Let's get started."

* * *

Exactly fifteen minutes later (Rose knew because she'd transfigured a paint lid into a wireless and she knew the length of the songs), Sirius crossed the hall into her room. He lounged on the door jamb with easy grace, an unlit cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. A streak of dark grey blue smeared his cheek, a matching splotch on the cuff of his jeans. Rose narrowed her eyes at him, somehow suspicious. "You can't be done already" she pointed out, making a shooing motion with her paint brush. Sirius just gave her one of his classic pitying looks. It was just her luck that it made him look incredibly handsome; like everything he did.

"First of all, you're sounding like Moony" he told her, not moving an inch from his casual lean. "And second, sweetheart, I'm a _wizard."_ Sirius prowled towards her, something dark in his gaze. "Besides, I'd much rather help you paint your room than do my own." Rose pointed her brush severely at him. She was trying to channel McGonagall, but she doubted it worked.

"What makes you think I'd let you?"

"Oh, Rosebud" Sirius shook his head. "Are you really going to stop me?" Damn him, that was a good question - and the bastard knew that she would do no such thing.

"Fine" she capitulated. "But if more of that goes on me than the wall, you are going to be in big trouble, Messr Padfoot." Sirius gave a flourishing bow.

"As my Lady commands." She shook her head but allowed him to steal a single kiss. It was one of the perks of dating him.

* * *

Somewhere between the first and second brushes of pale gold paint, Sirius had decided that painting was dull work. In typical Marauder fashion, he had then decided to spice it up a bit. Paint dotted both of them from head to toe, Rose long since past caring, especially given every splotch he gave her she paid back with interest - or he did. They'd finished the first coat quickly enough, giving them time to fling paint at each other like children while drying the walls with the help of magic; Rose's only magical concession to getting the job done. They were now working on the second coat, music blaring at full volume, Sirius singing along to some unusual punk wrock number by the strangely named Knobgoblin. When Rose had asked, Sirius just smirked and told her to think the name really fast, and then she threw a paint brush at him. He had a nice streak of gold on his nose now, something Rose laughed at every time she looked at him. Sirius did a rather elegant slide across the floor in time to the music, catching Rose with a streak of gold paint across the seat of her purple cords. Rose spun around, mouth open in disbelief. Sirius winked at her, catching her wrist and pulling her into an improvised ballroom dance with him to the tune of Moonage Daydream, which segued nicely into Elton John's Your Song. Rose lost her paintbrush somewhere along the way, swept up in Sirius and his energy and the way he could turn any ordinary moment into something perfect between the two of them. In the moment between, Rose could hear the Beatles coming from what she assumed was James's room (he was as obsessed with the Beatles as she was with Bowie), while the Rolling Stones came from Peter's room, and the Rat Pack echoed in from Remus'. Sirius gave her a eye-twinkling look that spoke volumes on his thoughts on the sanity of their friends, only to promptly start singing along with Lovin' Spoonful's Do You Believe In Magic. Rose threw her head back in laughter. "You're the biggest kook in history!"

"Yeah" Sirius grinned, dipping her. "But you love me anyway."

"Don't hold it against me."

"I wouldn't dare, love" Sirius murmured, voice low and intense. When he kissed her this time, it was with more promise than the innocent pecks they had been enjoying beforehand.

* * *

Sirius reluctantly broke away with a smile, grey eyes darker with suppressed emotion. The silence was heavy with unspoken apology. Even if they were ready for that step (and she couldn't deny that she wanted him), this wasn't the time or the place for such things. Not yet at least. They went back to painting, lightness coming back into the atmosphere with the distant sound of James cursing up a blue streak. "Painting isn't rocket science, Prongs" Remus called, voice light with laughter. "Failing simple understanding of how to move a brush up and down without completely cocking it up, you could always remember that you happen to be a wizard." Suspicious silence came from James's room. "Just a suggestion."

"Done!" James yelled cheerfully, as if he had in fact being using magic all the time. Rose rolled her eyes.

"Wizards." Sirius turned to her, paintbrush in hand, laughter sparkling in his eyes.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Lady Astra?"

"Why, Messr Padfoot" Rose widened her eyes innocently. "Whoever said that I was implying anything at all?"

"You're a Marauder, Rosie" James called, sounding like he was standing next-door in the bathroom. "All happy with a Willow theme in the bathroom?"

"It's just the bog, Prongsie" Sirius shrugged, finishing up another coat on the wall he was working on. "Willow's fine, but I swear to Merlin, if there is one seashell in there, I'll set Evans on you."

"He'd enjoy that" Remus opined, Peter snickering in the background.

"Bugger off, Moony" James said pleasantly. "Pads, mate, I need you in here, so stop snogging Astra for ten minutes and be useful." Sirius glanced at the wall separating the two rooms.

"You know I'm a contrary bastard, right Prongs?" James groaned, the bathroom acoustics doing unusual things to the sound.

"Just get in here."

* * *

Half an hour later, Remus called Rose out into the kitchen, Peter still behind his closed bedroom door, singing along to the Rolling Stones. Noises came from the bathroom, James and Sirius muttering, bickering and playfully insulting one another as they were wont to do. Those two were perfectionists when it mattered. The green eyed Marauder leaned casually against the kitchen counter, arms crossed and a mischievous glint in his eyes. Rose leaned her hip into the kitchen island, an answering light in her violet eyes. "We know that nothing short of an apocalyptic calamity of McGonagall's thin lipped proportions is going to stop Prongs from decorating our living room in Gryffindor colours" the werewolf reported dryly. "However" he held up a finger, radiating mischief. "Since Prongs and Padfoot have commandeered the decoration of our bathroom, and due to Wormtail still painting his room, it falls to you and I, Lady Astra, to rescue the kitchen from suffering a fate similar to the bathroom." Rose leaned forward, intrigued.

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm glad you asked" Remus smirked, waving his hand towards the cabinets. "Pale green." His fist dropped onto the countertop. "Marble effect." Rose nodded eagerly, seeing it.

"A muggle refrigerator over there" she pointed to the far right. "Black and hints of gold for the splash protector." Remus crouched at the back of the kitchen island (the part that faced the living room), his darker-than-usual eyes dancing.

"And here, I'm thinking a forest scene with mountains at the right, and a rat, a dog, a stag, a unicorn, and a wolf running together through it all."

"Make it so" Rose agreed, running back to her room to collect the tins of paint she hadn't needed. This was something she could definitely rationalise using magic for. She could suddenly see them all living here, gathered around, laughing and joking and never regretting a single minute of it. And anyway, what was the point of being some of the most gifted witches and wizards of their generation if they didn't use their talents to Marauderise their future home? Wands in hand, they got to work making the kitchen what they dreamed it would be. It was certainly a good thing that James said they'd be gone the whole day; they weren't going anywhere for a while, and this way they wouldn't be missed.

* * *

Rose's wand danced in intricate spirals while Remus's moved in concentrated arcs. Before Remus's eyes, his forest vision came into life; a perfect image of capering Marauders. Rose charmed cabinets into moving, magical windows into showing scenes of views from the Astronomy Tower, she transfigured Formica into marble, metal into brass, and wood into stone. She magicked a special area for Remus's best chocolate, and cleared an area specifically for firewhiskey, butterbeer, and redcurrant rum. Paint magically coated the cabinets in shades of pale green while Remus tackled the installation of the magical stove - the original from W. C. Villebourne's days. At some point, James and Sirius joined them, wordlessly tackling the difficult, intricate transfiguration and charm work. Peter came out in time to help paint the living area Gryffindor gold (they'd have scarlet couches and chairs like true Gryffindors), and put the finishing touches to the unfurnished rooms. It turned out that when you were the Marauders, painting/decorating your flat only took ten hours and fourty three minutes and copious amounts of magic. The final touch came from Remus, who touched the tip of his wand to the kitchen island painting, giving the Marauder animals their freedom in wizarding painting fashion. James clapped Remus on the back, wordlessly offering him a cold butterbeer. There were definite perks of having a pub literally just up the road a bit. Sirius saluted with his own bottle, looking around in approval. "I've said it before, chaps" James announced, counting Rose in the chaps comment. "Welcome home."

"Shall we kip here tonight?" Peter wondered, gesturing expansively around.

"Jim will kill me" Sirius pointed out. "And if he doesn't, Lilykins will." Rose rolled her eyes. Overprotectiveness ran in her family.

"I'll handle Dad and Lil" she grinned, expression telling them not to ask how she would tackle that Herculean feat.

"Then it's settled" James stated, rubbing his hands together. "Dinner at the Cauldron, anyone?"

"Live a little, Prongsie" Sirius chided, rolling his shoulders. "Let's grab something from muggle London."

"I could go for some chips" Remus said, and that seemed to settle it. Chips it was.

* * *

Once they got into muggle London, they realised their error. While they did have some muggle currency, they had less than a clue about where in Godric's name they could go to get the chips Remus craved. Sirius, with his keen nose, decided to sniff out a good chippy, leading them on a little stroll throughout London around the Leaky Cauldron. They got their orders and strolled through London, heading back to the Leaky Cauldron and their flat. Of course, nothing for them could ever be that simple. Screaming came from deep within Diagon Alley, the sound of spells and reflective lights reaching their eyes and ears. James drew his wand instantly. "Why is it always us?"

"Right place at the right time?" Remus shrugged, managing to look dangerous with the last of his chips hanging from his mouth. It was the wolfish gleam in his eyes.

"Hey, Prongs, would you mind sending one of those message patronus things to the ministry or something?" Sirius drawled, gaze fixed on the chaos in front of them.

"Already done" James replied, quickening his footsteps. Fortunately, the aurors were already there, dealing with the situation, but Marauders didn't understand not helping when the Death Eaters were involved. James and Sirius threw themselves right into the frey, wands dancing with each movement of their skilled hands. Rose stayed back with Peter, Remus rushing ahead to help James and Sirius. For the first time, Rose saw the destruction left in the Death Eaters' wake, the Dark Mark swirling in the sky above them. Death, destruction and the Dark Mark, and they were too late to stop it all. Peter looked at her with angry, terrified eyes.

"They're never going to stop, are they?" James heard him and grinned. This wasn't his usual, I'm a Marauder time to cause havoc grin, no it was more of a Merlin help them grin.

"Of course they are, Wormy. Because we're going to stop them."

* * *

**The war is starting to surround their lives once more. But what will happen when they go back to the relative safety and immaturity of Hogwarts next chapter?**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:**

**I'm back at uni again (graduate study, yay) which means I'm having more fun writing this as procrastination! Good for you, not so good for me, but oh well.**

**Have the first chapter of my procrastination induced writing binge!**

**I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The new year came and went with typical fanfare and jollity - a word Remus was subsequently banned from ever using again - and soon it was time for the return to Hogwarts. Lily took the Hogwarts Express back up to Scotland, while the Marauders had another idea of transportation. It was big, it was purple, and it nobody in their right mind would use it; that's right, it was the Knight Bus. Frank and Benjy grinned at the Marauders, both clearly having had the idea of getting to Hogwarts as quickly as possible. "New digs?" Frank guessed, glancing out of the window at the abandoned Villebourne chocolate shop.

"Belated Christmas present" James shrugged, eyes twinkling. "We're probably going again at Easter, you're welcome to visit." Remus ate a mouthful of floor as the Bus careened off again, dark hair lifting off his forehead with the force of his sigh.

"I hate you" the werewolf announced, glaring petulantly at James. "Remember the last time we rode the Knight Bus? Didn't we say _never again?"_

"Expedience, Moony" Sirius smirked, waving his wand. Five more chairs squeezed in on Benjy and Frank's row. "It was the quickest way of getting where we want. In this case, Hogwarts." Remus glared up at the unrepentant dog animagus.

"It's not very bloody expedient if we die, now is it Padfoot?"

"Don't be such a girl, Moony" Sirius grinned playfully, pulling Remus up onto his seat. "You don't see Rosebud complaining."

"And I should automatically be complaining because I'm a girl?" Rose demanded, arching an eyebrow in irritation. Sirius raised his hands in a futile gesture of innocence.

"The Girls complain a lot, Rosebud, that's all I'm saying."

"I might be a girl, Siri, but I'm not a bloody _Girl."_ Although if she were one, maybe he might show more interest.

"Working that one out is going to give me a headache" Benjy decided, running his temples. "Do you lot ever understand each other?"

"Of course" James rolled his eyes. "We're the sodding Marauders, you pillock." Frank inclined his head, looking thoughtful.

"That is a good point."

"See my previous comment" James replied, mischievousness radiating from him.

"Piss off, James" Benjy requested politely, Sirius giving a bark of laughter.

* * *

Luckily for Frank and Benjy, the Knight Bus chose that moment to squeal to a stop, catapulting all seven of them down the aisle towards the front. James won the award for best creative swear words yelled while sliding on his face, while both Remus and Sirius favoured quantity over quality, turning the air rather spectacularly blue in front of themselves. Rose picked herself up from the floor, her elbow smarting from banging into the floor - twice. Frank and Benjy were still in a pile on the ground, and none of the Marauders seemed inclined to help their fellow Gryffindors up. Rose stepped gingerly over them, grimacing at the sight of the snow outside. Sirius followed her gaze and smirked. "Baby it's cold outside."

"But you really can't stay." Remus shoved him outside the bus, laughing like a Marauder.

"That really wasn't nice, Moony" Sirius said, a glint in his eyes promising imminent and dire retribution. James tapped them both on the noses.

"Behave."

"Naughty dog" Peter snickered, shrieking like a little girl when Sirius pushed him into the snow. Rose looked pityingly down at him.

"Oh, Pete. Shouldn't you know better by know than to upset Sirius?"

"Prongs does it all the time" Peter protested, quite rightly.

"Yes" Rose agreed cheerfully. "But Prongs is Prongs, and you're not, Wormtail." She offered him a hand up, smiling as he muttered about rat discrimination. "I'd sue if I were you" Rose grinned, Peter looking confused as to what exactly suing was.

"Nice of the Bus to drop us right outside the gates" Frank offered, looking up at Hogwarts looming above them. "I thought we'd have to walk from Hogsmeade."

"Dumbledore was never going to risk that" James dismissed, avoiding looking back at the village. "Not after Death Eaters attacked there."

"Surely Hogsmeade is safe now, James" Rose sighed, ignoring the dubious glares her friends sent her.

"You lot know better than we do" Benjy spoke up tentatively. "But nowhere is really safe these days, is it?"

"Hogwarts is" Remus said definitely. "Dumbledore is still the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, and I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of some of our professors in a duel."

"And then there's us" James added simply, no trace of bragging. "We're fairly good at duelling, and we're only getting better. You both are welcome to join us - a little informal duelling club."

"When and where?" Frank asked, a determined glint in his eyes. James glanced at Sirius, the two having one of their frequent wordless discussions.

"Tonight, the attics."

"Can we bring people?" Benjy wondered, shuffling his feet.

"Nobody from Slytherin" Sirius stated firmly. "Other than that, if they're trustworthy and don't mind listening to Marauders, bring 'em along." Remus blinked at the dog animagus in surprise.

"How very open-minded of you, Padfoot."

"Piss off, Moony."

"Girls" James interrupted gleefully. "Oughtn't we be making our way actually into the castle instead of freezing our arses off in the snow?"

"I don't know, Prongs" Rose replied thoughtfully. "That sounds awfully like the sensible thing to do. We have a reputation to uphold, after all."

"Merlin forbid the Marauders ever be sensible" Frank teased, dragging his trunk forward. "First sign of the apocalypse, that."

"Longbottom's found a sense of humour at last" Sirius praised, clapping sarcastically.

"Yeah" Remus agreed, a mournful tone to his voice. "Pity it's only a sense."

"Alright, you two" James cut in, smothering his chuckles. "Enough mocking the afflicted." Remus looked horrified that James was actually being responsible for once, while Sirius just flipped James the V's and carried on walking. Rose threaded her arms through Remus', towing him along up to the castle.

"C'mon, Rem" she grinned, seeing Sirius easily fall into conversation with James. "I'll get you a hot chocolate inside." Remus glanced down and bumped his shoulder gently into hers.

"Oi, Prongs! We're stopping off in the kitchens."

"Excellent" James rubbed his hands together. "I was just getting a bit peckish."

"I don't want to know" Benjy announced immediately, shaking his blonde head. "We need plausible deniability." Rose looked mock-sadly at Remus.

"Why does everyone always assume that we're up to no good?"

"Because we are the Marauders" James cheered, ruffling his hair proudly. "Mischief, mayhem, that's what we do." Frank cast his gaze up into the sky.

"Merlin help us all."

* * *

The Hogwarts attics were large, cavernous, and - for the most part - unofficially completely off limits for students. Luckily the Marauders never payed much attention to stupid rules like that. They did what they wanted, and went where they wanted because they wanted. Seated on a squishy red armchair by a brazier of magical blue fire was Remus. He had his head buried in a book entitled 'Curses and Counter-Curses: What To Do When One Hits You', and was scribbling notes in the margins with a look of intense concentration on his face. Peter was curled up in a nest of pillows and blankets in one of the alcoves, nervously eating Fudge Flies and frantically trying to complete the homework he should have done over the break. James was double-checking the supplies he had secreted away during the course of the day, while Sirius leaned on the wall nearby and heckled him like this was just another day with the Marauders. Rose stretched across an old blue chaise lounge, flipping through an ancient copy of Transfiguration Today before tossing it aside. "I don't think they're going to be coming" Rose announced not long afterwards, dropping her head back onto the armrest. James looked up from his cushion counting and said.

"Give them time, it's still dinner down in the Hall."

"And the attics aren't the easiest places to find on full stomachs" Peter piped up, speaking from experience. Rose inclined her head, conceding the point. Merlin knew, climbing to the top of the Astronomy Tower after dinner wasn't easy. James abandoned his preparations and flopped to the floor near the brazier, picking up the discarded, ancient copy of Transfiguration Today.

"Any new developments in the world of Transfiguration, Prongs?" Sirius asked dryly, well aware that it was an ancient copy.

"Some bloke from France was the youngest ever to successfully attempt the animagus transformation" James smirked, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "37, turned himself into a condor."

"Imagine that" Sirius echoed James's tone. "Only 37."

"I can feel the smugness from here, you two" Remus sighed, pretending to be annoyed.

"Are we _smug,_ Prongs?" Sirius asked, blinking innocently. James tilted his head, clearly mulling it over.

"I think we are, Pads."

"No thought necessary, mate" Remus called. "You lot never bother with it anyway."

"That is a scandalous smear" James huffed, pointedly turning his attention back to the magazine.

"Denial clearly isn't just a river in Egypt" Remus grinned broadly, the other four Marauders facepalmed in reply.

"You're a plonker" Sirius told him seriously, grinning at the finger the werewolf happily displayed.

* * *

"Did we come at a bad time?" Rose felt her heart jolt in her chest, then it raced as she met the ground solidly.

"Ouch" she muttered, feeling a burning glare pass over her head. Sirius pulled her to her feet, scanning her critically for injuries. She didn't understand him sometimes. He cared about her and he wanted her, but he didn't. Slow was so boring, the opposite of what he normally went for. Maybe it was just her. "I'm fine, Siri."

"Fenwick won't be in a minute" Sirius growled, Benjy audibly swallowing. James rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Pads. Relax, would ya?" Rose rested her head on Sirius' shoulder, smiling at the train of people emerging into the attic. Of bloody course Marlene McKinnon would be there; the universe hated her. Rose, that is, not Marlene. The universe loved Marlene - she'd won the bloody genetics lottery.

"Honestly, Frank" Rose sighed. "How many people did you invite?"

"Only people I implicitly trust, Rose" Benjy replied earnestly. Yep, always earnest that was Benjy.

"Fortescue, McKinnon, Evans, MacDonald, Meadowes" James greeted dubiously, waving them in. "Vance, Frank, Lovegood. Who're the other swots?"

"Caradoc Dearborn and Edgar Bones" Remus reported cheerfully. "Caradoc takes Ancient Runes with me, and Edgar's in History of Magic with Rosie."

"At long last, the faces behind the textbooks" James quipped, sharing a smirk with Sirius. "I take it you both know who we are?"

"The morons who willingly faced down Death Eaters in Hogsmeade?" Edgar offered, shaking his blonde hair into place.

"Not our official title, but close enough" Remus smiled, getting to his feet. He looked directly at the Gryffindor Girls and sighed. "Are you sure you really want to be here, Lily?"

"Regrettably, there's no one better to learn Defence from" Lily replied, leaving them in no doubt that if there was, she wouldn't be there.

"Don't let us keep you, Evans" Sirius smirked, leaning against the wall. Rose felt the newly familiar weight in her heart. Since Christmas, it seemed the chasm between the Marauders and Lily had only grown. She hated being stuck in the middle of it all. And in the middle of that, why wouldn't Sirius show more of a bloody interest in her?!

"Sirius." He glanced down at her and sighed, something that might have been regret in his grey eyes.

"Prongs" Sirius invited calmly, ignoring the disbelieving looks from the Girls. "It's your show, mate." James nodded thoughtfully, running his hand through his hair.

"Okay" he announced eventually, startling Benjy and Caradoc from their conversation. "How many of you can summon a real patronus?"

"We're not supposed to look at that until seventh year" Mary said hesitantly, as if afraid of upsetting them.

"So that's five of us" James grinned, not an inconsiserabli trace of smugness in his eyes. "Okay. I can work with that."

"You five can summon _corporeal patroni"_ Edgar stated disbelievingly. "Since when?" James, Sirius and Remus shared a shrug.

"It was, er, third year?"

"Yeah" James nodded wistfully. "Old McGonagall turning into a cat, animagi registry's and patroni."

"Not to mention the, er..." Sirius trailed off, nodding significantly. James grinned widely, a hint of a blush colouring his cheeks.

"Of course, mate. That goes without saying."

"I don't want to know" Edgar decided, shaking his head swiftly. Lily, on the other hand, looked curious.

"You want to see, Lil?" Rose guessed, glad she could still read her twin so easily. Lily nodded slowly, keeping her gaze only on Rose.

"Marauders" James began, tone oddly excited. "Wands at the ready. One, two, three; _Expecto Patronum!"_

* * *

Silence, shocked and a little bit insulting, filled the Attic, Lily's jaw not the only one hanging gormlessly open. Marlene recovered first, head cocked thoughtfully. "Which one's which?"

"Think about it, it'll come to you" James replied, sounding a little irked that it wasn't obvious. Sirius couldn't resist the chance to tease the stag.

"Oh very sharp, Prongs. Be careful you don't cut yourself."

"And a cutting retort there from Padfoot" Remus smirked, for once looking every inch the Marauder.

"Piss off, Moony." All five patroni kept patrolling the Attic, seven pairs of eyes watching every move they made.

"Remus is the wolf" Lily said with certainty.

"And Black's is the dog" Marlene added, Sirius inclining his head in confirmation. Frank looked piercingly at the patroni.

"James, you're the stag?"

"What makes you say that, Frank?" James wondered, giving nothing away.

"They call you Prongs" Frank replied, pointing at the other Marauders. "Antlers, prongs. Makes sense."

"Yes" Sirius agreed, proud.

"I can't see Rosie being a rat" Dorcas mused, glancing at Peter instead. "That's yours, Peter?"

"Canny like a rat, that's me" Peter agreed cheerfully. Lily nodded slowly, almost as if she wasn't quite sure how to react at this further proof of how ahead of their times the Marauders were. Hestia squinted curiously at the fading patroni.

"So, Rosie, you're the horse then?" Rose's patronus popped out of existence in time with her surge of indignation. And she'd been doing so well ignoring the Sirius/Marlene manticore in the room.

_"Horse?_ It's not a horse, Hestia Jones" Rose glared, drawing her wand menacingly. James swore under his breath while Sirius just looked amused. Remus glared pointedly at the dog animagus.

"Padfoot." Sirius rolled his eyes, heaving a sigh that said exactly how put upon he was.

"Rosebud" he said tiredly. "As tempting as it doubtlessly is, you don't want to blow off Jones's head." Rose spun on him, eyes flashing. Normal people would back away, Sirius just raised an amused eyebrow. Bastard.

"A horse? Do I look like my patronus would be a bloody horse to you, Sirius Black?!"

"No love" Sirius replied easily, lounging back as if this was normal. Smug bastard. Smug, bloody gorgeous bastard. "You look like it would be exactly what it is, Rosebud. But you can hardly blame that lot for mistaking your patronus."

"Can and will" Rose sniffed, crossing her arms. Sirius shrugged at Remus, as if saying that that pathetic, half arsed attempt was his only go at this.

"Sirius" Remus growled, a warning note in his voice.

"What do you expect me to do, Moony?" Sirius asked innocently. "I really haven't the foggiest."

"Don't start on him, Remus Lupin" Rose warned, pointing a finger severely at him. "It's those halfwits who clearly don't know their arse from their elbows." She refolded her arms, muttering petulantly. "A bloody horse, Godric."

"It did look like a horse" Marlene piped up, eyes widening at the glare Rose shot her. She was really not in the mood for Miss Perfect Marlene McKinnon. Seeing Marlene again, coupled with the patronus thing had not been the best thing for her fragile temper. Bloody Sirius and the female population of Hogwarts. What did she not have that they did?

"Maybe if you showed them again, Lady Astra?" James suggested peaceably.

"Maybe if you shoved your head up your arse, you could see where they're coming from. Sirius too" Rose added sweetly, not missing Sirius' wince. Excellent, he wasn't playing stupid.

"Rosebud, this really isn't the time or place" Sirius uttered through gritted teeth. "Do we really need to have this conversation again?"

"If we had it at all, I would agree, Sirius" Rose muttered, feeling her irritation abate somewhat.

"I have the feeling that I don't want to know" Frank stated flatly, his hands up in the universally recognised gesture of surrender. Sirius pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily.

"Rose, please." Godric, he sounded exhausted. It was for her ears alone, so the others didn't know how far she'd pushed him. In all their years, he'd only called her that twice before; both when he was furious with her. She sighed to herself but raised her wand, performing the charm one final time. Sirius' eyes twinkled as he watched her patronus gallop around the room, smugness oozing off him at the gobsmacked expressions on the non-Marauders faces.

"That's not a horse" Marlene acknowledged eventually.

"Nope" Rose agreed smugly, feeling an absurd sense of one-upsmanship. Eat that, Marlene.

"What is that?" Alice asked, peering forward curiously.

"That would be a unicorn" Remus grinned, enjoying the jaw-dropping silence that followed. The Marauders all shared a look that said the previous business was forgotten. Sirius murmured his affections in Rose's ear before smirking widely at the group.

"I thought we were here for an informally formal dueling club."

"Huh, and I thought we were here for a formally informal dueling club" James smirked, Sirius cheerfully giving him the finger. Remus caught Rose's eye and smiled, his eyes twinkling as merrily as any mischief-making Marauders.

"If we could get on with it, chaps?" Rose suggested, smiling cheekily at the two best friends. Sirius regarded her a bit like a curious dog, and smirked widely. Whatever he saw clearly made him realise she was no longer mad at him (an impossible feat anyway), and the tension melted off his frame.

"Of course, love" he replied easily, not caring who heard the endearment. "Prongs, are you going to start or should we pencil you in for after we've all _come of age."_

The dog animagus placed an unusually heavy emphasis on those last three words, Rose probably the only one to understand the annoying but understandable double meaning. She made a face at him but smiled, letting James take over the control of the evening.

"Ha bloody ha, Pads" James sighed, feigning offense. "As I was saying, corporeal patroni are some of the more useful charms you can learn."

"Just get on with it, Prongs" Sirius rolled his eyes. "Before we all die of extreme boredom." James looked at the ceiling, as if praying for patience. It was a look Remus wore often.

"I'm getting there, mate" James assured him. He returned his attention to his not-so-rapt audience. "Now, as I was saying, there are two benefits to having the knowledge of how to cast a corporeal patronus. Any takers?"

"Protection from Dementors" Lily announced immediately, as always the teachers pet.

"Very good, Evans" Sirius drawled, clapping sarcastically. "And the other bonus?" Caradoc tore himself away from whatever riveting conversation he was having with Benjy (Rose remembered now that those two were virtually inseparable despite their different houses), and smiled.

"Communication."

"Excellent" James beamed. "Give the swot a chocolate frog, Moony."

"Piss off, James" Remus replied pleasantly, having no intention of so doing. James shrugged as if he had expected that outcome. Wild hippogriffs couldn't separate that werewolf from his chocolate.

"Now, students, casting a patronus is actually fairly simple-"

"Especially if Wormtail can do it" Sirius interrupted, smirking mischievously.

"Shut it" James said, sliding back into Teacher Mode™ as perfected by Remus Lupin. "Now, as I was saying last year when we started this discussion, all you need to do is find an incandescently happy memory and keep it in the forefront of your mind while you say the incantation."

"Oh" Remus added helpfully. "And it's actually bloody difficult, so don't be surprised if you don't get anything for a while." Dorcas stepped forward, already visibly forming a question.

"The sodding point, as you were about to ask, Dor," Rose continued, smiling at her dormmate. "Is that while bloody difficult, it's also bloody useful. Believe me, you never know when you might need to call for help. Patroni are more than just the means to the end we thought they were."

"What do you mean, means to an end?" Hestia questioned sharply.

"We got tired of debating what our forms would be" Sirius explained calmly, sounding like he was telling the truth. "We learned just to shut Prongs up. Thus, the means to an end." James waved his hand, ending the discussion swiftly.

"If you would like to get started trying to conjure yours, we'll be over there practicing our normal routine."

"Or we could keep an eye on them, make sure they don't overdo it like you and Siri did" Rose hinted, nodding pointedly at Lily. This was a perfect opportunity to mend whatever bridges had been demolished that Christmas. If James didn't cock it up, that is. For once in his life, James seemed to be totally oblivious to the concept of hints. He turned to Rose with a scandalised expression.

"We did not overdo anything, Lady Astra." Rose put her hands on her hips and cocked her head.

"Oh? I beg to differ." She put her hand to her chin in an exaggerated expression of thoughtfulness. "How did thee overdo it? Let me count the ways?"

"Please don't" Benjy muttered, looking torn between amusement and exasperation. Rose spun to face him, pointing severely at the blonde.

"Why aren't you practicing? Didn't Prongs just say to?" Emmeline whistled through her teeth.

"Yeah, you're an Evans" she laughed. "That's Lily's temper there." Sirius chuckled, low and approving. He did appreciate her redheaded temper.

"Just remember; happy thoughts and _expecto patronum"_ Remus counselled, demonstrating one final time. James clapped his hands, shooing them out into the clear space.

"Come on, chop-chop." Sirius rolled his eyes at his pathetic attempt.

"Marvellous teacher you make, Prongs." James manfully ignored him, waving for the students to begin.

* * *

Ninety minutes later, frustration was the preeminent emotion in the Attics. Nobody had managed so much as a bit of silver mist, and Edgar ended up punching James in the face after the tenth time he suggested trying for a happier memory. Then, as Rose recalled, Sirius had tapped Egdar on the shoulder and laid him out cold. Once Remus had deigned to renervate him, James complimented Edgar on his form, and told him to try again. That led to an almost wisp of silver, but Sirius said that if it didn't linger, it didn't count. Edgar wasn't best pleased but there was really nothing he could do about it either way. It wasn't corporeal, so it didn't count. "You have to believe that you can do it" Remus taught patiently. "Hold on to your happiest memory, let it fill you, and believe." Marlene ran a hand through her rapidly dishevelling blonde hair and glowered at the werewolf.

"It's easy for you to say. You've been doing this for years!"

"Okay, okay!" James interrupted, hands up defensively. "New plan. Pair up and practice basic duelling. We'll wander around and advise." Sirius glanced at his watch, a frown pulling at his features.

"We've only got an hour, Prongs, before Dearborn has to go on patrol."

"Then we'll make the most of it" James replied, as easily as if they were having a quidditch practice - which was actually tomorrow night. "Dearborn, Benjy, you're over there. Frank, Bones, the other side. McKinnon, Meadows to that side. Fortescue, Evans, you know where to go. Vance, Jones, way over there. And Lovegood, MacDonald to their right."

* * *

The duelling practice went better than the patroni experiment. Frank had chosen what looked to be the cream of their year - all of whom could handle themselves. By the end of the hour, bruises were fairly distributed, and James had admitted his reluctant approval. They made plans to meet again on Saturday night, quidditch and homework allowing (the latter only by Lily's glare and Remus' persuasion), and James dismissed the newcomers. It was then that James pulled out the big guns, referring to their meticulously compiled list of auror grade defensive and offensive spells. Sirius pulled out their range of magically protected practice dummies, smirking at the makeover James had given them while bored. All five of them looked like Snivelly, and each was wearing a variation on Augusta Longbottom's usual wardrobe. Sirius' dummy was in bright pink, Peter's in lime green polka dots, Remus' was in a rather fetching shade of Paisley, James's was vomit-coloured, and Roses was in the most awful tie-dye she had ever seen. The awfulness of their dummies helped greatly in their desire to inflict them with horrible spells, and by the time James called the night to a close, they were all rather proud of their efforts. Remus waved his wand and the dummies went back to normal, the Attics tidying themselves so that nobody would know that the Marauders had even been there at all.

* * *

Thank you for reading! And for being patient with me.

Next up... The war casts a shadow over Hogwarts. The Marauders have had enough.


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:**

**I wouldn't get used to it, but here I am updating again!**

**It was originally intended to be a short chapter, but this story continues to run away from me.**

**Darkness is creeping in around them, but it is still safe at Hogwarts so it's not going to affect them so badly yet. That being said, they are the Marauders, and they're nto going to sit idly by.**

**Anyway, I still own nothing. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Two weeks into the start of the new year at Hogwarts, James, Sirius and Rose trooped tiredly in after a marathon quidditch practice. James was worried about the upcoming match and was pushing the whole team harder to make up for it. The Common Room was unusually subdued. There was no laughter, no merriment, not even the sound of squabbling over homework or fireside chairs. Remus beckoned them over to their usual corner of the room, a tight expression on his face. Poor little Peter was conspicuous by his absence, and as Rose looked at her best friend she had a horrible feeling settle into her chest. "What's happened, Moony?" James asked, keeping his voice pitched low.

"Belinda and Carly Prentice's mother was killed in an attack last night" Remus reported, voice barely above a whisper. "The Dark Mark was seen hovering over their house." They were all too horribly aware by now that the Dark Mark only ever meant death.

"She was a muggle-born" James recalled, fury tensing his jaw. Remus nodded slowly. There was nothing more they could really say to that. They had known for months that this was going to happen, they'd faced it down, but actually standing on the sidelines, experiencing the helplessness was more than they could stand. Sirius cracked his knuckles, fire burning in his grey eyes.

"So this is how it begins; with cowardly attacks on people who cannot defend themselves." James stared Sirius in the eyes, an odd intensity coming over him. This was the James Potter they'd followed into battle. This was the James Porter they'd follow anywhere.

"This might be how it begins, Pads, but it's not going to be how it ends. I promise you that." Hazel eyes snapped to Remus and Rose in turn. "Moony, grab Wormtail; Astra get changed quickly. It's time to do something about this." Remus opened his mouth to protest, but the stag animagus held up a hand. "Trust me." There was only ever one answer to that question. They were the Marauders; they'd been through hell and back together.

"Of course."

* * *

Rose hurried down the Girls Dorms stairs two at a time, dressed comfortably in jeans and a Gryffindor tee under a cream jumper. Her fellow Marauders were dressed similarly casually, ready for whatever James's idea would bring them. Out of all of them, Sirius seemed the most on edge, but then he had always been the least patient out of them. James hadn't noticed her yet, pacing as he was by the window, while a muscle was starting to twitch in Sirius' jaw. Rose wandered over to him, squeezing his hand gently. "You okay?" Sirius laughed bitterly, the sound uncomfortably loud in the silent common room.

"No" he said bluntly, his eyes alight with helpless rage. James caught her gaze and frantically shook his head, warning her not to press it. But doing that for a Marauder was nearly impossible, and her glare back at the stag conveyed that. Somehow, Rose managed not to say any of the words that longed to escape. She trusted that James knew what was bothering Sirius, and hoped that his head-shaking conveyed his intentions to deal with it himself. At least, he better be intending on dealing with it himself. Otherwise, Rose was going to kick his arse from here to Kings Cross. Still, she allowed Remus to tow her from the common room, the Fat Lady snoring in her portrait as it closed behind them.

* * *

James and Sirius carried on a viciously whispered conversation as they strolled (ambled really, but with purpose, as only Marauders could do) through the many corridors of Hogwarts castle. No prefect dared stop them (the knowledge of the merciless revenge pranks enacted throughout the years were legendary), so their progress through the castle was steady. Remus passed the journey in his typical fashion; walking with his head buried in a book and enjoying every minute of it. Rose chatted to the portraits as they passed, keeping one or two up-to-date with the muggle world as Arthur Weasley had asked them to do in passing (they liked Arthur, he was cheerful and kind, if a little obsessed with muggles). Peter looked rather alarmed by the black haired Marauders' argument, staying out of it by Rose's side. She, herself, was rather concerned by the uncustomary argument, even more so given Sirius' glower at anything that happened to look funny at him. Something had gotten to the most loyal of the Marauders, and Rose had the sinking suspicion that it had been there for a lot longer than any of them were willing to admit. Somehow, James managed to calm Sirius down enough that his temper was no longer threatening to erupt. The dog animagus even managed a half smile at Remus' walking straight into a wall that appeared out of nowhere. At times, Hogwarts was as mischievous as the Marauders it had nurtured. Apart from that minor snag, they reached their destination without accident, Remus rubbing his bright red nose gingerly. In front of them, the stone gargoyle guardian of the entrance to Dumbledore's office held its majestic wings open. James shrugged at Remus, hiding a smirk at the Rudolph-like shine to the werewolf's nose. "What's the password, Pads?"

"Prongs is a tosspot?" Sirius suggested, his usual mischief twinkling in his grey eyes. James gave him the finger, laughing sarcastically. "Jelly Slugs." With its usual rumble, the Gargoyle spun around, granting them access to Dumbledore's inner sanctum.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Prongs" Rose murmured, having a bad feeling about this.

"So do I" James agreed, smiling with less confidence than he probably would have wanted. Sirius rolled his eyes, impatient as ever. "Yes, Pads, we're getting a move on." Rose caught Sirius' arm as the others ascended the stairs. She tugged on the limb until his gorgeous grey eyes turned to her.

"What's wrong, Siri?"

"Nothing that you can help me with, Sweetheart" Sirius replied sadly, brushing a strand of her red hair behind her ear. His thumb stroked gently over her cheekbone, his eyes swimming with unidentifiable emotions. "I'm not good at waiting or feeling helpless. These last few months, Rosebud, I've had my fill of both."

"I can't even try to help if you won't bloody well tell me, Sirius Black" Rose glared, the expression for once holding some fire. Sirius ran a hand through his impeccable hair, frustrated and tired.

"I know that, Rosebud. I just-"

"Am not bloody Merlin and don't have to do things by yourself" Rose cut in sternly, hand on her hip, and head cocked to the side. That earned her a startled chuckle, light returning to his features. Rose appraised him and smiled. "That's better" she nodded. "You look much more handsome when you're not being all broody."

"Regulus is the broody one" Sirius protested, voice tripping with laughter. Rose gestured up and down at his torn black jeans, black B'Witched tee and form fitting black leather jacket. Mouthwatering definitely, but undoubtedly broody. Sirius pretended to growl, swatting at her with enough warning for her to dodge it. "Get up there" he ordered, unable to keep the mirth from his voice. "Before I'm forced to do horrible things to you."

"Hmm" Rose tilted her head cheekily. "Promises, promises." Sirius' mouth fell open.

"Cheeky woman. I like."

* * *

In all her life, Rose didn't think she would ever get over the shock of walking into Dumbledore's office and hearing the Raspberries' Go All The Way. James, Remus and Peter looked suitably gobsmacked, Sirius couldn't hold back his bark of laughter, and Rose just stood there and gaped in disbelief. There was something terribly wrong about their crackpot headmaster listening to modern music. Honestly, she was glad it wasn't Bowie. She would think even her devotion to him could handle that; but it definitely could. Fawkes crooned lowly in greeting to them, the Marauders an all too common sight in the Headmaster's office. "Hiya Fawkes" James grinned, stroking a finger down the Phoenix's back. Sirius rolled his eyes, reclining recklessly in one of Dumbledore's overstuffed armchairs. Remus made a noise of annoyance, shaking his head at the dog animagus.

"You're supposed to put your feet on the floor, not on the arm of the chair, Padfoot" Remus pointed out, trying not to sound like Sirius was getting on his last nerve.

"I'm fine like this, thanks mate" Sirius shrugged, his eyes twinkling with his typical shit-eating sparkle. This was the Sirius Black that did what he wanted and damn the consequences. Rose had learned to become slightly worried when this side of Sirius showed up so close on the heels of brooding/pissed off Sirius. She could have sworn she'd heard the name _Snivelly_ mentioned towards the end of James and Sirius' argument. In fact, it sounded like they had been in agreement about something to do with the slimy wannabe-Death Eater Slytherin. "Don't look so worried, Rosebud" Sirius chided playfully. "It's just something that's been too long in coming. It'll be perfectly safe, I solemnly swear." To solemnly swear, a Marauders word of honour. Their unbreakable vow. Rose couldn't but believe him.

"I trust you" she smiled, taking her seat next to Remus on the couch. "But if you two are up to something, Merlin help you if you don't include the rest of us."

"Astra, I'm hurt that you think we'd make mischief without you" James blinked overly innocent hazel eyes at her. Remus scoffed disbelievingly.

"Pull the other one, Prongs - it's got bells on it." James slumped back into his chair, pouting like a five year old.

"Fine" he grumbled, messing up his hair. "But don't blow your top when you hear the plan. It's reckless, but it'll work, if you trust us."

"Hogsmeade, Prongs" was all Remus would say.

"Which is exactly why we're doing it" Sirius replied darkly, casting James a significant look.

"You are a disgrace to the name of Black" a nasally voice said from the wall. Rose would be lying if she said she didn't start - a little. The scorn and palpable disgust in the voice was astounding. "Consorting with blood traitors and mudbloods."

"Shut up you old git" Sirius glowered, fingers itching towards his wand. His eyes flashed dangerously. "And portrait or not, if you ever call her that name again, I'll curse you right off the fucking wall. Understand?" Rose resisted the temptation to go over to him and take away the barely hidden pain in his eyes.

"Siri, it's just some old dead bloke's opinion" she shrugged, playing at levity. That got a twitch of a smile in her direction. "Not even a really good opinion, at that."

"Six years and you've never been formally introduced, love" Sirius tried to keep his voice level. His struggle was audible. "Sweetheart, might I have the displeasure of introducing you to my however many times great uncle (try not to hold it against me), scumbag Slytherin headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black. Bigoted bastard, this is my girlfriend (though I do detest the term), Rose Evans. A muggle-born as you so aptly pointed out." He sneered at the portrait. "Do be sure and tell Walburga, I hope she has an aneurysm." Phineas Nigellus looked ready to burst a blood vessel - or paint splotch.

"Now listen here, you insolent-"

"That's enough, Phineas" Dumbledore's voice was stony. "We have discussed this. You do _not_ call my students by that term." Electric blue eyes flashed onto Rose. "Please accept my apologies that you were addressed thus, Miss Evans."

"Nothing to apologise for, Headmaster" Rose smiled slightly. "It upsets them far more than it does me. Besides" she waved her hand carelessly. "Sirius handled it."

"Quite admirably by Marauder standards" James added, smirking at his best friend. Sirius flipped him the finger.

"Yeah, yeah, piss off Prongs."

* * *

Dumbledore regarded them with his amused gaze, fingers steepled under his chin.

"Now, what brings the Marauders to my office this late in the night?" Dumbledore asked curiously. "You haven't blown up the Slytherin dormitories again? Plugged all the toilets bar those in Gryffindor Tower for the seventh time this school year? Suspended the younger Slytherin students by their underwear from the quidditch hoops? Got the House Elves drunk on Butterbeer again? Cursed the entirety of Hufflepuff House to chitter like forest animals? Forced Ravenclaw House to perform another stirring rendition of Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump?" The Marauders shared grins at the recitation of their more respectable greatest hits. Dumbledore wasn't even counting their truly devious pranks.

"I'd forgotten how horrible we were to the swots in second year" James reminisced, eyes nostalgic. "But no, Professor, I'm sorry but we haven't pranked anyone tonight. _Yet."_

"You're here of your own free will?" Dumbledore looked surprised. Sirius smirked pityingly.

"We're everywhere of our own free will" he announced swiftly. "Marauders never do what we're told, _we do what we want._"

"And Merlin help anyone who tries to tell us otherwise" James added cheerfully. His grin quickly diminished however. "We heard about the latest muggle-born killings." Dumbledore nodded tiredly, looking as though he had expected that much. Nothing was kept from the Marauders for too long. They were the eyes and ears of the castle. Often they tended to know things even before the Headmaster did - the ghosts, portraits and house elves knew everything, and so the Marauders did too. Plus, they were nosy bastards who liked eavesdropping.

"That doesn't explain why you came to see me this late at night, Mr Potter." James fixed their headmaster with a level look.

"Doesn't it?"

"You want to help" Dumbledore sighed regretfully. "But there is nothing that you can do right now."

"We fought in Hogsmeade and more than held our own" James replied, keeping his voice level by sheer force of will. He, like Sirius and Remus, looked furious.

"You are not of age" Dumbledore reminded them, Sirius scoffing loudly.

"_I_ am" the disowned Black smirked, a dangerous edge to it. "And it didn't stop them in Hogsmeade." Dumbledore regarded them with his piercing gaze, as unreadable as a Sphinx.

"No one is doubting your bravery, your loyalty, or your abilities, Mr Black" he said eventually. "Your Marauder antics have proven that time and again. _However"_ Dumbledore held up a hand to forestall the retort James had upon his lips. "I do not enjoy seeing my students confined to the Hospital Wing. For all your skills and all your achievements, you are still only sixth years. Sixth years have no place in war."

"Tell that to Mulciber and-" James broke off, fire burning in his eyes. He glanced at Sirius, the two having one of their regular wordless conversations. "Okay, Professor" James grinned wickedly. "With your permission then, we will return to Marauder activity as usual." Dumbledore looked simultaneously worried and relieved. And that was why he was the one of the smartest wizards of their age.

"That is all I ask." This time, surprisingly, it was Remus who laughed bitterly. Rose internally winced at the anger in his eyes. That didn't bode well for anyone, especially not with his parting words.

"Be careful what you wish for."

* * *

Hogwarts was in chaos. Students couldn't leave their common rooms without speaking in rhyme, sprouting some new body part or colour, or spontaneously bursting into song. The Professors couldn't start their classes until they had spent a good fifteen minutes clearing the room of pixies, fairies, doxys or random nifflers - and that wasn't even mentioning the toilet paper. Suits of armour yelled profanities to the students as they passed, Peeves took it upon himself to make Filch's life a living hell (unsurprisingly he had volunteered for the duty), and the portraits flatly refused to cooperate unless they were spoken to very, very nicely. The kitchens served all day breakfast followed by all day lunch, and then all day dinner, the toilets expelled the waste instead of flushing it away. Some corridors refused to lead where they were supposed to, all the castle passwords changed overnight every night, the Shifting Staircase misbehaved more than it ever had, and the entirety of Slytherin House returned from dinner one night to find their common room under water. Everyone in the castle knew who was responsible for the sudden outbreak of chaos in Hogwarts, just as they could tell the culprits were taking this seriously. The record-breaking detention setting didn't even so much as make them blink. This wasn't a temper tantrum nor was it proving a point, it was retribution pure and simple. It had been a week since Dumbledore had insulted the Marauders, and they were only just getting started.

* * *

Sirius threw his newspaper to the side in disgust. "This is bullshit" he announced, loud in the uncommonly silent Marauders Den. Gryffindor Tower had become slightly hostile to the Marauders since the outbreak of their indiscriminate pranking, and they had far more peace to plan mayhem in their private living room. Remus looked up from his reading, face a mask of boredom . In truth, his notoriously even temper was burning at a high simmer.

"Dumbledore or the Ministry?"

"Either, both" Sirius shrugged angrily, shooting James an irritated look. "We can't fight Voldemort, so we're being forced to prank the entire castle-"

"And Dumbledore's letting us" James added significantly . Rose turned away from the window seat.

"The question is why?" she remarked, catching James's meaning. "Why would he let us make Hogwarts virtually unlivable?"

"Hogwarts is safe" James said, that look back in his eyes. The look that spoke of the man that he would/had become. He'd been wearing that look a lot in the last seven days, they all had.

"Of bloody course Hogwarts is safe, Prongs" Sirius growled, eyes appearing almost brown from how dark they were. "Your point?" James tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.

"It's obvious, Pads " James replied smugly. "What better place is there for the students to learn to watch their backs?" Remus snapped his book shut, eyes burning.

"Dumbledore insulted us deliberately? He wanted this chaos?"

"Godric, probably not" James shook his head. "Dumbledore isn't balmy enough to use Fiendfyre to light his pipe." His head inclined thoughtfully. "I just mean that he's smart enough to use this situation to his advantage."

"Well, we're not bloody stopping" Sirius decided, crossing his arms in challenge. James silently questioned his sanity.

"Of course not, mate. If we're not going to be allowed to help fight this bloody war, we can at least make sure we ready the students for it."

"But that's not why we're doing it, though is it?" Peter asked timidly.

"No" Remus replied immediately, that simmering anger in his voice. "We're doing this because Dumbledore should know better than to try and protect us. We're doing this because we're sick and tired of being underestimated. We're doing this because Hogsmeade will happen again, soon, and we want to help."

"In short" Sirius summarised sharply. "We are mad as hell and have no more patience to pretend that we aren't perfectly capable of destroying anything that stands in our way." James pointed at Sirius, grinning widely.

"Precisely. Now, about Snivellus." Remus groaned, face losing some of its colour.

"I've agreed to your lunatic plan, can we not talk about it right now?"

"I agree with Rem" Rose spoke up, smiling supportively at her best friend. "We're courting enough trouble as it is without getting caught discussing something as dangerous as this."

"Thank you" Remus smiled, preventing Sirius' inevitable reassurances. "Now, what I do want to talk about is the Slytherins. I know we already flooded their common room, and put an extra-strength sticking charm to their toilets, but it feels like we can still do more."

"More?" James's eyes bugged out. "You, Mr moderation in all things Moony want us to do more?" Remus tried and failed to look innocent - his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"All I'm saying is that it feels like we would be missing a golden opportunity."

"The wolf has a point" Sirius conceded, mischief overtaking the anger for the first time in days. "It would be remiss of us to waste such a chance." James inclined his head, grinning wider than ever.

"What do you have in mind, Moony?"

"Just a simple feat of magic" Remus shrugged, eyes dancing. "Piece of cake, really."

* * *

The piece of cake, as Remus casually dubbed it, was a master class in revenge pranking. That evening, at dinner, the Marauders shocked the school by actually turning up, one by one sarcastically saluting Dumbledore and then the Slytherin table with raised goblets. Rose nonchalantly reached for a plate of chips, pouring salt and liberal amounts of cheese over the fried potatoes. Up and down the table, hastily muttered revealing spells paused, jaws going slack as the Marauders acted like they hadn't spiked every meal for the last week. Lily's eyes snapped fire as a Hufflepuff first year ignored common sense and took a huge bite of shepherds pie, growing feathers with a poof. Sirius, the only Marauder currently willing to risk Lily's wrath, gave her a shit-eating grin, inclining his head at her fury. James slapped his head and nicked one of his chicken drumsticks, smirking at the familiar irritated glare that his best friend bestowed upon him. Remus rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his meal, supplementing his forkful of omelette with a mint humbug. Strange man, he was. Peter quickly dispatched a plateful of bangers and mash drowning in gravy, keeping his head down and snickering at the antics of the ringleading Marauders. For the time being, the Marauders were acting as if nothing was wrong in their world, and it was business as usual. Slowly, the Great Hall relaxed around them, the normal chatter springing up to restore the mealtime ambiance. Rose focused on her meal, blocking out the guilt of being forced to disturb Hogwarts' peace, and the unusual argument that the other Marauders were having. "No, no, no" Sirius shook his head. "There's no way you survive a stunning spell from that high in the air. Pancake City." James rolled his eyes in disgust.

"That's assuming that none of his mates are around to catch him-"

"Which will only invite two pancakes instead of one" Remus pointed out reasonably. "Much as I hate to say it, Padfoot's right."

"Of course I am" Sirius smirked. Smugness was thick in the air around them. "I'm always right, I'm Sirius Black."

"You're right by fluke" Remus retorted cheerfully. "The fact that you're Sirius Black usually confirms that you'll be wrong. Right, Rosie?"

"Keep me out of your arguments" Rose replied automatically; getting in between those two was more than she was worth most of the time. Rose could feel Sirius' heavy gaze before she'd even finished speaking.

"That doesn't mean that she's on your side, Pads" James insisted, Sirius giving him the finger as easy as breathing.

"Are we going to do this prank or do you want to have dessert and bicker first?" Rose asked sweetly, the Gryffindor's around them slowly freezing as the words sunk in.

"Is it really fair?" Remus sighed, slipping back into his public role as the reasonable Marauder. "Our charms will keep the pranks going for another week. Should we really push it?"

"Don't be a _pillock,_ Moony" James smirked, hazel eyes dancing. He was enjoying the tension. They hadn't actually planned this, but it was turning out better than what they had. "We've already set it up. You hate wasting effort."

"Think of it this way" Remus offered, eyes twinkling in the way they only did around the Marauders. "If we stop it all now, maybe we can arrange not to be up to our eyeballs in detention on Rosie's birthday - wouldn't that be good, Padfoot?" Sirius held his hand up thoughtfully. Without warning, he stood up and smirked winningly at the High Table.

"You good with that, Minnie? We stop our spells, you give us a lenient sentence?" Frankly, McGonagall looked like she would rather have sucked a whole orchard full of lemons while listening to the Sex Pistols than agree to their proposal. However, Dumbledore said something quietly to the Head of Gryffindor, his electric eyes twinkling. Rose couldn't believe it; after all that, he was _proud_ of them.

"How much leniency?" James took his place next to Sirius.

"The question is, how much leniency is peace in the castle _worth_ to you, Professor?" McGonagall glanced at the Headmaster, lips thinning dangerously; she did not approve. Funny, that.

"One months detention, reinstated quidditch privileges, and no detention on Miss Evans' birthday" McGonagall offered, James glancing quickly around at the others. A wordless discussion was held, and he nodded slightly.

"Agreed, on the proviso that our detentions are served together and under Hagrid's supervision." The lemon sucking expression returned, but another word from the Headmaster had McGonagall reluctantly nodding her acquiescence. "Excellent" James clapped his hands happily. "Let this past week serve as a lesson to you all; don't mess with the Marauders." Hazel eyes turned from glaring seriously at the Headmaster to gleefully grinning at Peter. Wormtail raised his stubby wand and grinned.

"Wensleydale" Peter uttered clearly, a rush of magic flickering all the candles in the Hall.

"Moony?" Remus finished off his slice of triple chocolate mud cake and stood.

"Ridiculous Honeydukes Best" he intoned gravely, the candles flickering again. Sirius gave the resident werewolf a look that clearly despaired of his sanity, to which Remus shrugged nonchalantly and helped himself to a bowl of chocolate mousse. He had never pretended that he wasn't a chocoholic. Rose beamed at seeing the happiness back in the other Marauders' eyes, and stood with her wand raised.

"It's a godawful small affair to the girl with the mousey hair, but there is life on Mars."

"To which I have to add" Sirius smirked, igniting the few candles that had gone out. "That we solemnly swear that we are, have been, and will continue to be, up to no good." James grinned brilliantly, his wand reappearing in his hand.

"As a Marauder, there's only one thing I can say to that, Messr Padfoot." His wand moved with a overly dramatic flourish. "Mischief managed."

* * *

**Thoughts?**

**Next up... Rose's seventeenth birthday. Let's all hope it goes better than Sirius'.**


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:**

**So I'm back. Hope everyone is feeling okay.**

**As promised, Rose and Lily's birthday. A good day in Hogsmeade. And I might have borrowed characters from a British comedy. I still own absolutely nothing.**

* * *

For the majority of the wizarding world, the thirtieth of January was a fairly ordinary day, all things considered. This was not the case for the Marauders, or Lily Evans. In fact, this day in 1977 was considered quite special. For this was the day that Lily and Rose Evans turned seventeen and came of age. It was also, through the shameless bribery of the Marauders, an impromptu Hogsmeade weekend. Bright and early that Sunday morning, the Marauders (who frankly would have gone to Hogsmeade with or without permission, which was why the entire school was allowed) joined the throng of students shivering in the cold but sunny winter air. Lily and the Girls (Marlene, Mary, Dorcas, Hestia, Emmeline and Alice) walked a few yards ahead of them, their laughter carrying in the air. Sirius sarcastically imitated them, grey eyes rolling in direct contravention of the established laws of physics. Today, he had chosen to commemorate the occasion by donning his typical black jeans/black leather jacket combo paired with a Queen concert t-shirt. James was similarly attired in his favourite Beatles shirt, brown leather jacket and stonewashed jeans. Peter was wrapped up like an Eskimo, huddled deep into his cloak, teeth chattering helplessly. Remus looked warm and toasty in his sky blue jumper (cashmere, his sixteenth birthday present from Rose) and black trousers, Gryffindor scarf around his neck and a beanie on his head. And Rose strolled along in her favourite purple cords, Aladdin Sane t-shirt, and a slightly large snow white jumper. Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist, smiling warmly. "You'll love being of age, Rosebud" he bubbled cheerfully. "You can do whatever you like and not be worried about age restriction." James glowered half-heartedly.

"Yeah, yeah. Rub it in why don't you, Padfoot?" Sirius' smirk could've driven saints to sin.

"I thought I was."

"No bickering on my birthday, chaps" Rose grinned, bouncing ahead a little in her excitement. Most of the day was theirs to enjoy alone. And they planned to erase their horrible luck with seventeenth birthday Hogsmeade days with today's outing. The Marauders were going to meet up with the Girls around fourish at the Three Broomsticks' private room to have a birthday party for Lily and Rose - something Rose only knew about because Peter couldn't keep a secret and Marlene needed someone who could actually make Sirius promise to behave himself. Luckily, it was a Marauder rule that anyone who ruined a Marauder's birthday was subjected to horrible punishments. So, Rose knew that Sirius would at least try and behave - for her sake if nothing else. It was one of the many things she loved about him, infuriating as he was. Remus shook his head fondly at the renewed bickering between James and Sirius, pulling out his new copy of Bedlam and Broomsticks: A Study of Quidditch Hooliganism in Medieval Europe. Only Remus Lupin could walk into Hogsmeade with his head buried in a dry book, and actually enjoy it. He was unique that way. Unique here having the meaning of totally weird. But, then again, they were the Marauders, so how could they judge?

* * *

Not a moment too soon, the Marauders reached Hogsmeade, the village looking exactly as it had before the Death Eaters had descended upon it. It was comforting and eerie at the same time. Fortunately, that was comforting to the Marauders, who were more than used to eerie feelings; being the top students of the school, and knowing about a wizarding war tended to have that effect, even on pranksters. In typical Marauder fashion, they ignored everyone who was staring at them, and waltzed right up to the doors of Honeydukes, Remus rubbing his hands together eagerly. That werewolf did love his chocolate. Several fourth year Slytherins shuffled away from them as they entered, casting wary looks at the students who had caused them literal hell for the past few weeks. Remus spent a good ten minutes selecting his next stash of chocolate, his basket overflowing with dozens of bars of Honeydukes Best, boxes of Chocolate Frogs, chocolate truffles, Chocolate Snitches, and anything else that promised a high enough chocolate content to appease a hungry werewolf. Peter, by contrast, was lightning fast; gathering his Fudge Flies and Jelly Slugs with an ease born of repetition and selective taste. James and Sirius loitered by the specialty section, smirks on their faces as they appraised Acid Pops, Cockroach Clusters, Snotbert Fountains, and Trickle Tarts. To be fair, they did also have a respectable amount of chocolate, liquorice wands, Ice Mice and Pepper Imps in their baskets, so nobody was really complaining. Rose just smiled and stocked up on her Chocoballs and Sugar Quills, content to leave it at that. A path miraculously cleared to the counter, James grinning superiorly as the crowd parted.

From there, it was on to Zonko's, Sirius buying a foul-mouthed, back-talking cauldron, while Remus and Peter stocked up on the classics (dungbombs, stink pellets, itching powder, that sort of thing), and James browsed the aisles of prank potions, looking for inspiration. Rose went and picked up a few gag wands and biting teacups (her father thought they were hilarious), and laughed aloud at a new magical wall plate. It seemed to pick up on whatever you were thinking negatively of (Slytherins, for example) and then insulted it a bit like the Marauders Map would if someone tried to read it without the proper password. James took one look and gleefully added it to the expanding pile in his arms, his most mischievous smirk dominating his face. Several impressionable third years backed slowly out of the shop, wary of that look anywhere on James Potter's face. Experience had taught Hogwarts not to interrupt the Marauders in Zonko's, or anywhere really. It just led to wishing you'd never done it in the first place. James just looked smug and carried on browsing. Sirius levitated a cart full of purchases, giving James a smirk that clearly said he was winning whatever game they were playing. Rose was just happy that they were able to have fun here without the Death Eaters ruining it. "Padfoot?" Peter called hopefully, his voice echoing through the shop. Sirius rolled his eyes but went to see what he wanted; occasionally he found a hidden treasure for pranking. James threw an arm around Rose's shoulders, grinning broadly.

"So, Rosie, what do you want for your birthday?"

"Voldemort's head stuffed and mounted on a wall like the Black family House Elves?" James choked on thin air and then burst into laughter.

"Oh, we should be so lucky."

"But we have to applaud your inventiveness, Rosie" Remus added, rolling his eyes at James.

"And I'm sure Walburga is touched that you wish to emulate her favourite pastime" Sirius smirked, leaning casually against the wall.

"When there's flair, there's flair" Rose shrugged elegantly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Psychotic flair, Rosebud." She smirked innocently.

"I never challenged that assertion, love."

"True" Remus inclined his head thoughtfully. "She didn't." Sirius rolled his eyes fondly.

"Shut up, Moony." Remus smirked like the little shit he certainly was.

"Your wish is not my command, Padfoot."

"How about a heartfelt plea?"

"Marauders don't really go in for that sort of thing, mate" James offered, clapping his shoulder in commiseration.

"Brilliant" Sirius muttered sarcastically.

* * *

They left Zonko's and strolled down the lane, grinning at their fellow students, many of whom looked worried for their safety. Honestly, it was as if they had learned that the Marauders and prank shops meant trouble. It was a horrible allegation. And completely true. Remus dragged them into Gladrags Wizarding Wear, insisting that James finally buy more dress robes (his old ones having been sacrificed during the course of an epic upcoming prank on Slughorn. James, naturally, grumbled throughout the entire process, Peter submitting quietly nearby. Sirius kept up a running commentary about how much of a berk each of them looked, while Remus ducked out to Tomes and Scrolls (the only time he actually had to do so), and Rose pretended not to know any of them. That worked until one of the saleswitches tried flirting with Sirius, James and Peter all pointed cheerfully at her. For her part, Rose didn't so much as blink. She was far too used to people flirting with Sirius to really notice anymore (come on, he was gorgeous), and while Sirius flirted as naturally as breathing, she knew that he was far too loyal and faithful to ever make anything out of it. Harmless flirting, thy name was Sirius Black. As Remus came back in, burdened by the weight of several new books, James and Peter paid for their robes, and they all tottered back out into the bitter wind. "Where next?" James asked overly innocently. Rose caught his look and smirked wickedly.

"Madame Puddifoot's?" Sirius stopped dead in the middle of the road.

"Over my dead body" the dog animagus bit out, tone flat and unrelenting. James slung an arm over his shoulder, grinning consolingly.

"What's wrong with Puddifoot's?" Peter asked, subtly winking at Rose behind Sirius' back. "I thought it was supposed to be very romantic there."

"Exactly!" Sirius shuddered dramatically. "The infernal place looks like Valentine's Day vomited there and everyone thought it would be a brilliant idea to let it _fester_ for millennia." Remus coughed, amused.

"I thought that you had got over your crippling fear of relationships, Padfoot?" Remus asked dryly. Sirius nodded agreeably.

"Oh, I did" he assured their resident werewolf. "But it's so sickeningly sweet in there, I keep half expecting Cary Grant to pop in, or James to use the place for inspiration for getting Evans to go out with him." James's head snapped up hopefully. Yet another idea of how to woo Rose's sister popping into his head.

"Do you think that would work?" Sirius growled and slapped the back of his head.

_**"No!"**_

"Besides" Remus added thoughtfully. "Haven't you given up on getting Lily to go out with you?"

"It's been years, she still hates your toerag guts" Rose smirked, consciously echoing his words from over the summer. James shot her a deadly glare.

"If it wasn't your birthday, Astra-"

"But it is" Remus and Sirius replied in unison. James threw his hands up in annoyance.

"I just bloody give up" he muttered tiredly. "You're both arseholes."

"Marauders, mate" Sirius corrected cheerfully, loping along with his usual grace. _"Marauders."_

"We've been to Honeydukes and Zonko's and Gladrags" Rose said eventually, hoping to get James out of his sulk. "The Broomsticks is later, Siri won't set foot in Puddifoot's-"

"Very amusing, Rosebud" Sirius smirked, winking at his reflection in the glass of Schrivenschaft's.

"Thank you" Rose smiled, happily continuing. "Where to next?"

"We haven't been up by the shack for a while" James suggested, Remus cutting him a glare.

"And we won't in this frigid weather."

"Rem has a point" Rose admitted, shivering a little. It was cold out. "We could go and see Abe."

"I love the way you think" James grinned, the sparkle coming back to his hazel eyes. "All in favour of the Hogs Head?"

"Motion carried and passed" Sirius decided, clapping his hands quickly. "Let's go."

"The Marauders coming to see him when we're actually allowed to" Remus stated mischeviously. "He'll never know what to do with himself." James narrowed his eyes playfully.

"I know what you can go do with yourself, Moony." Remus heaved a regretful sigh and pushed a laughing James into the nearest snowdrift, Peter falling in after him as he lost control of his giggles. Rose rolled her eyes at the idiots she called her friends.

"Remember boys, we're supposed to be here celebrating my birthday" she chided gently. "Try not to ruin it for me."

"We know" James sighed, put upon. "If we upset you today, or really any day really, Padfoot and/or Moony are/is entitled to make our lives living miseries, and can generally do their very best to incentivise us never to do so again." He smirked at Sirius, who gave new meaning to playfully unamused. "Did I get that right, Pads?"

"Actually" Remus interrupted cheerily. "I do believe Padfoot said that if we upset Rosie today, our lives won't even be worth doxy droppings."

"So I embellished a little bit" James grumbled, hazel eyes dancing. "Jinx me."

"Don't tempt us" Peter called, grinning at the shock that came from James.

"Why you impudent little git" James glared, shaking his head at him.

"Marauder" Peter sang cheerfully, dancing ahead with a sort of casual ease. He had rarely looked so comfortable with himself, and the sight made Rose beam brilliantly. Everything was coming up Marauder for a change.

* * *

For the first time in Marauder memory, the Hogs Head was closed. The door was bolted, the windows were shut, and the grouchy landlord was nowhere to be seen. James was immediately on guard. His hazel eyes flickered suspiciously around the pub, wordlessly conversing with Sirius. At a nod from the dog animagus, James removed his invisibility cloak and slipped underneath it, Peter following in his Wormtail rat body. There was a mere flicker of movement, then Sirius disappeared as well, Remus and Rose alone in the snow. The werewolf huffed a breath, fogging the air in front of him. "Isn't that just bloody typical?" Remus demanded, irritation hiding in his voice. "They get to faff off into the warmth, while we freeze our knackers off in his bloody cold!"

"I hate to break it to you, Rem" Rose giggled, shaking her head fondly. "But I don't have any knackers to freeze."

"Anatomically, you're correct, Rosie" Remus sniffed, going from one foot to the next in an effort to stay warm. "But, that doesn't change the fact that it's bloody freezing!"

"Come on then" Rose offered, feeling the cold herself. "Let's go to round to Sid's. The boys'll find us there when they're finished being nosy, and you know it's always nice and warm in there."

"And we could murder a cup of tea?" Remus suggested, rubbing his gloved hands together. "Yes, let's." His eyes lit up at a thought. "Maybe Ivy'll be tempted to put out some chips for us. Favourite customers that we are." Rose liked what he was thinking.

"Maybe" she grinned, the two leaving the Hogs Head in their wake.

* * *

Once safely inside Sid's Cafe, the two Marauders sank into their usual chairs, grateful for the warmth. Remus had not been exaggerating when he said it was freezing outside. Rose actually loved the cold, but more for cuddling up and getting warm than any real preference. Wrapping her hands around the absurdly large deep purple mug, Rose hummed contently. Across from her, Remus did much the same, his eyes twinkling as he eagerly started their usual conversation topic; the finer plot points of Sherlock Holmes. Suddenly, he pinned her with his sharpest look. "How're your parents taking everything?" Rose smiled sadly. If only she really knew.

"Mum's throwing herself into helping Tuney plan her wedding to the Walrus" Rose made a face at the thought of being legally related to that. "Dad's worried. Worried about Lil and me, and you lot. But he hides it well; his letters are so light and optimistic, complaining about why he should have to have any input on the most boring wedding ever."

"He trusts us" Remus murmured, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. Rose scoffed lightly.

"He trusts you and James and Siri to be ridiculously overprotective of me, as you have been ever since that unfortunate incident on Sirius' birthday." Remus had the decency to wince.

"To be fair, Rosie, we all feel guilty about the Hogsmeade Incident." Rose rolled her eyes.

"When you say it, Rem, it sounds like a bloody tabloid headline."

"Front page of the Daily Prophet" Sid's distinctive Yorkshire accent informed them playfully. "Eye-catching but total bollocks. They barely got a single detail right." He nodded at them, eyes crinkling proudly. "You did bloody well defending us all, despite the damage to public property."

"What can we say" Remus shrugged, grinning widely. "We're the Marauders. We live to make an impression."

"And it was the mask-wearing murdering maniacs that actually destroyed the public property" Rose added innocently, neglecting to remember her own incendio spell and when she sent Bellatrix flying into the wall of the Broomsticks. That was fun though.

"We wouldn't worry about what the Prophet thinks to print, Sid" Remus grinned easily. "Half the time they wouldn't know their arse from their elbows without printing the retractions in their next issue."

"In my forty years in the wizarding world, I've never known a reputable journalist" Sid agreed, shuddering at his wife's yell. "Coming Dearest!"

"Poor Sid" Rose sympathised, watching the broad departing back. Remus shook his head at her, his eyes laughing, even as Sid groaned. It was clearly that time of the day again, the cheerful bell tingling with the arrival of three aging wizards in varying states of shabbiness. First in was the well-dressed owner of Tomes and Scrolls, a Mr Norman Clegg. He was followed in by the severe and absent minded owner of Schrivenschafts, Foggy Dewhurst, and the self-professed 'tatty little Herbert' Compo Seminite (aka, the shadow owner of Zonkos, though very few people knew that). The trio were also something of a fond legend in certain corners of Hogwarts portraiture.

"Three cups of your weasel pee tea, and three sticky buns, ta Sid" Compo requested, leaning on the countertop. As usual, the trio continued whatever it was they were bickering about today, laughter erupting from their usual table. Rose privately hoped that the Marauders would be something like that when they got old - if they lived to see old age.

"Don't worry, Astra" Remus smiled fondly, setting aside his book. "We'll be worse than that lot. You can guarantee it, Padfoot and Prongs wouldn't have it any other way."

"We'll probably end up shuffling along Diagon Alley in our bathrobes or something" Rose grinned, Remus' lips twitching as he clearly imagined it. Poor Rem.

"We'll be the best pranksters of the Sunny Spells Wizarding Care Home" the werewolf chuckled, cheeks ruddy. "Prongs'll hide all the walking sticks, Pads'll run off with the medication, Wormy'll nick all the slippers while they're asleep, I'll probably be in charge of enchanting all the bedpans to insult people, and you'll be stuck conning people that we're not even remotely to blame."

"That's worryingly well thought out, Rem" Rose teased, hiding her smile behind her tea cup. Remus poked his tongue out at her, unashamedly opening a bar of Honeydukes Best to snack on. Rose was proud he'd lasted as long as he had with that much temptation around. Speaking of temptation. "What do you think they're up to?" Remus didn't even pretend not to know what she was talking about.

"Probably either searching for whatever they think has gone wrong, or they're shamelessly eavesdropping on whatever Abe is up to in there." Remus shrugged easily. "I wouldn't worry, Rosie. They'll be back when they're ready."

"That's what's worrying me, Rem." Remus smiled gently at her, eyes understanding.

"Pete might actually have the spine of a flobberworm, but he won't let them do anything too spectacularly moronic."

"Moony" Rose sighed pityingly. Poor naïve soul. "Even I couldn't stop Sirius Black from doing something spectacularly stupid. Only James could, and he's his sodding enabler."

"I resent that implication" James announced, Remus jumping violently in his chair. The stag animagus grinned and flopped down into a free armchair. "Pads is as much of a bad influence as I am."

"And if you don't want me to do something, my darling Rosebud, all you have to do is ask" Sirius added, lounging casually on his own chair.

"And risk you resenting me for ruining your fun?" Rose shook her head sadly. "We both know that I couldn't live with that."

"Just as we both know that I'm incapable of ever resenting you, my darling Rosebud" Sirius murmured softly. She smiled just a little, eyes twinkling at him.

"So what was Abe up to?" Remus wondered curiously, neither Sirius nor Rose missing the nauseated look that the other Marauders had shared beforehand. Tough titties, as James was wont to say.

"I promise we'll tell you later" James swore solemnly. "It's nothing bad necessarily, but it's definitely not something that we need overshadowing your birthday, Astra."

"We don't want to take anything away from your seventeenth, love" Sirius clarified, smiling warmly. "Is that Ivy's chips I smell?" Rose smiled innocently.

"Fancy some lunch, boys?"

"I could eat" Peter grinned, rubbing his hands together.

"You could always eat, Pete" James groaned, looking eager at the thought of food himself.

"I'm a growing lad, Mum says" Peter shrugged, his eyes twinkling. "It's normal for me to always be hungry."

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with the fact you're a rat, eh Peter?" Peter offered him a look that was dripping with offended disdain.

"No, Padfoot, it doesn't."

* * *

Four o'clock came far too soon, the Marauders having whiled away the afternoon in Sid's Cafe. Nonetheless, they still braved the bitter wind of Hogsmeade's high street, running for the Three Broomsticks. It was a scene that had been repeated many times; the Marauders falling into the Broomsticks, James and Sirius flirting with Rosmerta, then the quintet retiring to a warm private room where they plotted all kinds of mischief and mayhem. Rose watched the two of them, both clearly chuffed that they had neatly avoided explaining where in the name of Merlin's newts they had been. Dorcas met them at the bar, butterbeers already waiting on the bar top. Remus gallantly led the way into the private room, where Lily was talking happily with Marlene, while the rest of the girls sat around and did whatever it was that they actually did. Lily noticed them first and smiled. "Since we don't want to miss curfew, shall we get started?"

"Missing curfew can be fun, Lil" Rose grinned, but she took her seat anyway. It took a matter of seconds to gather the presents from wherever they'd been hidden. From the Girls, Rose received a large collection of sweets, while Lily got the same but from the Marauders. Alice gave Lily a new quill she'd been wanting for months (yet never actually bought for herself), while Marlene gifted her a delicate bracelet. Mary and Dorcas' gift was a collection of photographs spanning the seventeen years of Lily's life up until now, while Emmeline and Hestia offered a huge pile of books Rose couldn't even make the titles out on. Seeing the collection of gifts, Lily looked touched, while Rose felt relieved that a) her sister's day was going well, and b) nobody had thought to give her what Rose had. With that, Rose handed over a small box wrapped in bright gold (Gryffindor colours, of course). "Jamie says it's tradition for the family of a witch or wizard to give them a watch for their seventeenth" Rose explained, grinning at her stunned sister. "So, happy birthday, Lil."

"It's beautiful, Rosie" Lily managed, smiling brilliantly with her emerald eyes. With a slightly shaking hand, she put the watch on, and then pulled out a long box decorated with red lighting bolts. Aladdin Sane wrapping paper, Rose couldn't help but peel it off very carefully. She could feel Sirius' amusement in the air.

"Are you actually saving the sodding wrapping paper, Rosebud?" Rose calmly ignored him, her eyes instead locked on the interior of the box.

"Platform shoes, Lil?" Rose was speechless. Lily had always seemed to hate them with a fiery passion. Lily shrugged easily.

"With your David Bowie obsession, I figured it was about time you scandalised Tuney wearing some."

"You do realise that she'll be wearing those around Hogwarts, now?" Marlene shuddered, pretending to be horrified by the thought.

"Thanks for the obvious fact, Marlene" Rose rolled her eyes cheerfully. Peter cleared his throat and handed over a long, thin tube simply wrapped in a purple ribbon.

"I know it's not much, but we were in muggle London and I thought, why not?" Peter explained before Rose even had a chance to open the thing. In Rose's opinion, Peter really needed more confidence in himself, because it was perfect. A full colour poster of Bowie's alien alter-ego from The Man Who Fell To Earth. Words were inadequate, so she hugged him instead. Remus broke from the Bowie-inspired mold and presented her with a box wrapped in soft tissue paper.

"In case you're wondering, I checked with Padfoot first, so you don't have to worry about him killing me for this." It was a beautiful golden star, dusted lightly with diamond dust that caught the light. Remus shrugged self-consciously. "Prongs helped charm it with our Marauder-invented instant apparition spell."

"It's beautiful, Rem" she smiled, getting the werewolf to help her put it on. It was James who, blushing slightly, presented Rose with her Of Age watch. The simple engraving read; _Mischief Managed._ "Prongs, you really didn't have to."

"Yes, I did" James corrected, nodding once. "Marauders are family, therefore it was my job to do it." His hazel eyes sparkled behind his glasses. "And my pleasure." Rose smiled, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek.

"All this fluffy crap is going to give me toothache" Sirius grumbled, though his eyes belied his happiness. "Happy birthday, Rosebud." With that, he handed over a familiarly shaped package; square, thin and wrapped in gold and scarlet. She grinned and tore off the paper, and then blinked. Rose was stunned. Gobsmacked. She didn't know what to say. It was perfect. It was wonderful. It was Bowie. Low. The brand new album she forgot had even come out (and seriously how had she managed to do that?). Sirius understood her, and nodded once, eyes glittering. He clapped his hands once and smirked. "I'm thinking, it's time to get good and drunk."

"In your world, maybe, Black" Lily glared. "But not in this one. It's time to get back to the castle."

"Nuts to the castle" Peter protested, waving his bottle in the air. "If we go back, we have to start behaving and learning and doing homework." He shuddered dramatically. "Don't end our freedom so cruelly."

"Don't be so dramatic, Pete" Remus sighed, eyes twinkling. "When do you lot do your homework, anyway?"

"It's the principle of the thing, my dear Moony" James said cheerfully. "If we don't make a stand for the Draconian practices in force at Hogwarts, who will?" Remus raised a dry eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware such a stand needed to be made, Prongs." James gaped at his audacity.

"Such stands always have to be made, my good man. We are the Marauders. It's our calling."

"I thought that was mischief, mayhem, and troublemaking" Rose suggested innocently. James flapped a hand at her.

"Yes, yes" he dismissed. "But what of our true callings? To end homework wherever we find it? To eradicate tedious learning? To boldly refuse to go where morons go to learn?" James looked pointedly around at them all. "What about that, eh?" Sirius sent a patience-seeking gaze at the ceiling, and reached around to slap the back of James's messy head.

"Shut up, Prongs." James's offended squawk sent them into gales of laughter, just as it should have. Rose leaned back in her chair, sharing a rare smile with Lily. For once, oh this glorious once, everything was right in their world. Long may it last.

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Reviews make me happy!**


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:**

**I'm back! Hello. I hope everyone is doing well, in isolation or not as the case may be.**

**In true style, as soon as I finally have some time to write, I lose all inspiration, but I forced this out and I hope it'll turn out okay.**

**Please enjoy!**

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Life at Hogwarts fell into normal patterns, as it always did. There were pranks and illicit parties, quidditch practices and midnight raids on the unsuspecting kitchens. But, there was also something else, hiding away underneath all the fun and merriment. By the beginning of February, the war had invaded the halls and corridors of Hogwarts. It started innocently enough, the day that Mulciber returned to Hogwarts after serving his lengthy suspension for suspected use of the imperius curse on a fellow student (AKA Mary MacDonald). Bright and early on February 1, he stepped into the Great Hall to a heroes welcome from the Slytherin Table. Mary turned paler than Nearly Headless Nick and all but ran from the Hall with her friends surrounding her. In a normal world, that would be that. However, the wizarding world was anything but normal, and the wizarding world at war was another thing entirely. By some curious quirk of fate, the Marauders had decided to join the student population for breakfast for once, rather than grabbing snacks from the kitchens between classes. That meant they had virtually front row seats to the worrisome inaugural gathering of the Slytherin Snakes Acting Suspiciously Society. Mulciber, Avery, Nott, Goyle, Rowle, Narcissa Black, Regulus Black, Aubrey, and of course Snivellus, all were in attendance, among others. James muttered that they might as well call them the Future Death Eaters Society and have done with it. Sirius was less sanguine about it, but agreed that the principle was correct. Remus suggested bringing their concerns to McGonagall, but quickly dismissed his own point. "She'll just say that saying they're Slytherins that are acting suspiciously is not enough to go on."

"Which is incredibly unfair and hypocritical, if you think about it" James observed, still watching the SSASS. "I mean, whenever there's mischief, mayhem, and general up to no good things going on, who's the ones she always blames?"

"Us!" Peter piped up, nodding his agreement.

"Dashed unfair, it really is" James sighed, running his hands through his hair. "There's nothing for it. Give it a week, then we'll hit 'em where it hurts."

"Meaning we don't know quite what they're up to, but we're going to find out" Sirius smirked wickedly. Rose shared a concerned glance with Remus. When it came to the Slytherins, neither James nor Sirius could ever be accused of acting _rationally._ To top it all off, they were still going ahead with the highly potentially dangerous Snape prank on the next Full Moon. Rose wondered how much more trouble they were going to get themselves into before they got expelled. Sure, James was going to make sure that Snivellius didn't get hurt, and Sirius was on Moony wrangling duty that night, but adding risking their secret on top of whatever this new thing with the slimy Snakes was? Rose was no longer sure that this petty revenge against Snape was worth it. Remus looked at his watch and sighed.

"We're going to be late for Potions."

"As if you care" Sirius scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You hate Potions."

"No, Padfoot, I'm rubbish at it, there's a _difference"_ Remus said with all the carefulness of someone explaining something very simple to a very small child. "When you know you're rubbish at something, you do actually want to get _better_ at it."

"Wouldn't know" Sirius shrugged arrogantly. "I'm not rubbish at anything."

"History of Magic?" Rose suggested, grinning at Remus in solidarity. Best friends stuck together, after all. "Or turning up to class on time?" Sirius narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"I see how it is" he huffed, nudging into James a little. "I am hurt that you would side with Moony instead of me, Rosebud. Prongs, back me up here."

"Marauders are not rubbish at anything, Moony" James sniffed superiorly. "We are the Marauders, my Godric man! To be a Marauder is to not be rubbish at things. As a unit, there is nothing that we could ever possibly even contrive to be rubbish at." James grinned at his Marauder cheerleading. "I will admit, you are total pants at Potions, Moony, but Pads makes up for that. And yes, Lady Astra, Padfoot is a useless arse when it comes to History of Magic, which is why anyone with common sense dumped the class as soon as was wizardingly possible." Rose narrowed her eyes dangerously. "And, it's also why you - who clearly have more common sense than any of us (despite the idiocy of willingly dating my best mate), are brilliant at it. And maybe we're not the most mature of students, but Moony more than makes up for that." Sirius snorted around a piece of jam and toast, rolling his eyes at James.

"Nice save, Prongs."

"Ta."

"It was actually a rather pathetic save, Prongs" Remus informed him brightly. "Really quite awful."

"Should we perhaps proceed to the Potions classroom?" Peter asked, grinning at his abnormal verbosity.

"It's not like we've actually got anything better to do" James brightly confirmed, pushing himself to his feet. "Come on, you lot, time to go torment Slughorn again."

"Joy." Sirius rolled his eyes but followed James out of the Hall.

* * *

Sirius loped down the corridor, humming Bohemian Rhapsody and smirking at the Slytherin students assembled outside the door to the Slugs dungeon. It was pretty much Marauder SOP; divert, distract and discombobulate. Not that they ever really needed to try; they had that confusion lark down pat. The line of Slytherin students waiting outside the dungeons glared as the Marauders joined their fellow Gryffindors on the other side of the corridor. "Morning dipshits" Sirius smirked, leaning casually against the wall.

"Ready to have your scaly arses handed to you at quidditch?" James added brightly.

"James, don't mock" Rose chided, maintaining a solemn expression only through years of practice. "They already know they're useless and don't stand a snowballs chance in hell; you shouldn't upset their fragile-" Rose frowned. "What's that word I'm looking for, Moony?" Remus made a show of thinking.

"Sanities?"

"They lost those a long time ago, Moony" Sirius smirked, fury spreading over the Slytherin faces. "Along with dignity, self-respect, morals, humanity - I could go on."

"We _are_ going to beat them at quidditch" Benjy muttered to Frank in a rather carrying whisper. "The last time Slytherin beat us was 1971, then we joined the team." A proud grin. "Slytherin haven't beaten us since."

"How can you defeat us if you cannot play?" Rowle, never the sharpest tool in the box, managed to look faintly menacing. Or at least he would have, if the Marauders hadn't been survivors of facing actual Death Eaters. After that, Rowle was about as menacing as Wormtail.

"Threat" Peter piped up, half hidden behind a livid James. Rose inwardly sighed, feeling her internal point more than made. James peered thoughtfully at the assembled Slytherin goons.

"I don't know, Wormtail. Was that a threat? Do you feel _threatened,_ Pads?"

"By that lot?" Sirius scoffed, looking so disgusted at the very idea that Hestia and Emmeline laughed. "Never." Mulciber sneered cruelly (some people never learned), and drew his wand. The unfortunate stick flew out of his hand at a mere flick of James's. The stag copied Sirius' almost careless pose.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you; it's rude to draw your wand on your betters." Mulciber growled at the implication that the Marauders (containing Rose, the mudblood) were his betters. The Marauders cared about that about as much as they cared about the well-being of fungal infections. In fact, if pressed they would undoubtedly be more concerned about the fungal infection than Mulciber.

"Not to mention that it's illegal to duel in the corridors" Remus added like the rule-abiding prefect he was. Some of the time. Five maybe ten percent. When it suited them. "As a Gryffindor prefect, it is my sworn duty to punish any attempts at any such transgressions so against the meticulous rules painstakingly crafted by this illustrious institution." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Therefore, that will be ten points from you, Rowle, for threatening a fellow student-"

"Tut, tut." James wagged his finger in mock disappointment. Remus visibly fought to retain his composure, but managed to continue in the face of it.

"And, I think another ten points taken and a detention, Mulciber, for the attempted duelling in the corridors." He glanced innocently across at Lily. "Do you concur?"

"Sounds lenient to me" Lily glowered, James looking glad to see the expression directed at someone else for a change. "But I wouldn't dream of correcting your judgement, Remus." Mulciber charged forward, Sirius lazily erecting a shield that caused him to bounce off.

"Temper, temper" Sirius chided, looking quietly gleeful about the entire situation. "Only just back from suspension, what _will_ your parents have to say?"

"I don't think they'll care as long as I take the mudblood with me" Mulciber sneered, James restraining Sirius from punching the bastard as he clearly wanted to.

"I'm sorry" Rose smiled sweetly - never a good sign to someone who knew her. "To which of us were you referring?" Luckily, for the future of Mulciber's ability to contribute to the inbred pure blood gene pool, the dungeon door chose that moment to open, Slughorn calling them in.

* * *

The slug looked his normal, jolly self, mustache covered with sugar from crystallised pineapple. But that wasn't what caught the class's attention. What did was the glorious smell coming from the cauldron on his desk. They breathed in deeply, unconsciously relaxing into their seats. Rose smelt home and Sirius. She was vaguely confused. As far as she was aware, there was no potion that smelled like that. "Amortentia" Sirius guessed, looking singularly unimpressed. Only Sirius Black could have pulled that off.

"Very good, Mr Black" Slughorn praised, lip ferret wobbling, sugar cascading down like dandruff. "Would you mind sharing with the class how you reached that conclusion?" Sirius rolled his eyes but obliged.

"The smell. As far as I am aware, there is no other potion that smells like the things we most love the scent of."

"Such as?" Now the Slug looked curious, a strange expression to be directed at a Marauder, especially Sirius. The dog animagus glanced at him, then visibly shrugged. Nonchalance appeared in his eyes, his tone reflecting his mood.

"My motorbike, the Forest at night, roses, camomile, rain" Sirius shrugged carelessly. "A few other, unimportant things."

"Books, chocolate, a mix that means family" Remus added, never leaving a Marauder out to dry. One for all and all that French musketeer stuff.

"Sunshine, ink, broomstick polish, flowers, mischief" James listed almost immediately afterwards. His eyes flickered briefly towards Lily, but she was almost certain that only the other Marauders noticed it.

"Cheese, talcum powder, bubble bath, fresh snow" Peter smiled, sighing as he sniffed the air.

"Vinyl, cold night air, freshly washed towels, wood burning in a fireplace, chocoballs, and leather-almond essence-motor oil-beech" Rose finished, raising a shoulder in a half-shrug.

"Exactly" Slughorn clapped his hands. "Amortentia smells different for every single person. There are areas that may overlap for people who are very close, but nothing very significant. Now, today we will _not_ be brewing amortentia-"

"Bad luck, Prongs" Sirius muttered, clapping him on the back in what was evidently supposed to be a conciliatory manner. Slughorn blathered on about some potion or other to cure coughs (apparently the Hospital Wing was running low). Sirius rolled his eyes (personally responsible for keeping the Marauders supplied with Pepper Up Potion for the days after Full Moon) and mimed falling asleep. He even added a pointed snore for effect. Remus reached around Rose and jabbed him in the ribs, smiling innocently at the glare Sirius promptly shot him. Things carried on pretty much in that same manner for the rest of the lesson. In the Defence class that followed, the Marauders gleefully upstaged Professor 'One Niffler Away From Being Sectioned To St. Mungo's' Grimhorn. Their shields, jinx's, curses, counter-curses all proved that he had taught them nothing, and they had taught it all to themselves. Even their 'students' were doing far better than the poor bastards stuck just learning from the Ministry Approved Moron. Grimhorn looked utterly confused as to how they even knew some of the spells, but the Marauders weren't inclined to let him in on the secret. Rose found it a bit insulting really. It was as if Grimhorn had forgotten that they had literally held off Death Eaters from destroying Hogsmeade that previous November; yes, they ended up in the Hospital Wing, but that was a comparatively small price to pay considering the horrible reality of what could have happened. In the face of that insult, the Marauders trooped out of the class twenty minutes early, ignoring the spluttered calls of their criminally inept Professor for them to come back right that instant. As if. They were the Marauders; they had better things to do.

* * *

The Marauders went their separate ways after lunch; Remus and Peter bound for the Ancient Runes classroom, Sirius and James for Muggle Studies, and Rose for History of Magic. Despite being the only student in their year to actually enjoy the class (and she wasn't lying, she really did), Rose found herself tuning out the particulars of a series of brutally bloody wars between the Goblins and Wizardkind. She had more recent wars occupying her mind, specifically this current wizarding war. Sirius, James and Peter had been acting suspiciously squirrelly ever since they got back from snooping in the closed Hogs Head on her birthday. The bastards had also, cunningly, managed to avoid discussing whatever it was that they had discovered while going in incognito that afternoon. But, Rose and Remus were nothing if not Marauders, and on certain occasions a Marauder could wait until the opportune moment to spring their trap. As she thought she had made abundantly clear in the Hospital Wing, Rose was sick and bloody tired of being mollycoddled. There was something that their fellow Marauders were not telling them - and she and Remus would find out what it was, or there would be hell to pay. It was required that Marauders kept no secrets from one another; Remus said it was something to do with pack unity, but it mostly stemmed from the secrets that had nearly destroyed them. Sirius' blood puritanical family, Remus' lycanthropy, all the tiny little things they'd never said but should have. Little white lies and half truths that all mounted up to potentially destroy their pack's harmony. That was why, that very night, Rose and Remus lured their clueless friends up to their Den.

* * *

The sound of a magical lock clicking into place echoed in the Marauders Den. Sirius, hair growing back down towards his jaw thanks to a recent change of mind ("my prerogative, Rosebud"), shook his head and sprawled on the nearest couch. Peter, realising that they were caught red-handed, dashed for the doors, only to be sent flying into a chair thanks to a lazy flick of Remus' wand. James just sighed and ruffled his hair, looking for all the world like this was all going entirely according to whatever half-baked plan those knuckleheads had come up with. Rose glared at the three morons and sighed. Her aim had been to try and make the inconsiderate squirrelly bastards squirm, but frankly both she and Remus were exhausted by all this crap, and honestly just wanted some Godric damned answers. Remus elegantly set his book to the side, his eyes fixing on the others without judgement.

"Time's up, you lot. You're hiding things from us, and we're tired of it." Unlike Rose, who would have been quietly but unsubtly pissed off, Remus delivered his words calmly. Disappointment flickered in the air, heavy and unrelenting in its presence. James and Sirius shared one of their long, wordless conversations, James finally nodding and sitting forward in his chair. It was the only signal Rose needed to take a seat on the arm of Remus' chair. She was pissed off with Sirius the most, and wasn't feeling all that subtle in displaying it. James sent a conciliatory glance at Sirius, then cleared his throat.

"Do the words _The Order of the Phoenix_ mean anything to you?" Remus frowned contemplatively.

"Never heard of it."

"Neither have I" Rose added, narrowing her eyes at James. "Why? What's the Order of the Phoenix?" Another flickering glance between James and Sirius.

"Desperation" Sirius replied, a quiet weight to his words. "A last ditch attempt at warding off the inevitable corruption of the Ministry of Magic."

"A small army of witches and wizards secretly operating to undermine Voldemort and try and stop him" James clarified, glaring at Sirius for his less than enthusiastic or optimistic report. He grinned widely, virtually bouncing in place. "It's led by Dumbledore and it's got McGonagall and Mad Moody, and Fabian and Gideon Prewitt, and-"

"Prongs is obsessed" Sirius rolled his eyes. "He refuses to see how _insulting_ it is that Dumbledore has this army of Wombles, but hasn't invited us to join. Not even after Hogsmeade or our recent request (framed by chaos and helpful pranking) to be allowed to bloody well do something!"

"It's insulting" Remus agreed, quite possibly astounding them all. His normally calm voice was laced with the kind of fury that Sirius' held whenever Death Eaters, the Black family, or the word _Mudblood_ was mentioned. The kind of raw rage that Rose recognised all too well from Hogsmeade. Honestly, it scared her a little. "We risked our lives in Hogsmeade, and we taught Hogwarts to watch its back. We stepped up and realised what was happening before anyone else did." Remus' hands clenched into fists. "What else do we bloody well have to prove?"

"Maybe we have to actually die" Rose muttered morbidly, for once unwilling to be the constant optimistic presence. Sirius clenched his jaw, a muscle jumping under his cheek.

"Over my dead body."

"Not necessarily" Remus demurred, tapping his bottom lip thoughtfully . "If we tweak our Snivellus plan just a little, dial back on the brutal revenge and go for a little more humiliation instead; I think there's a chance we could persuade Dumbledore of our worthiness."

"Messr Moony" James smirked, leaning back in his chair like a Bond villain - all he was missing was the fluffy white cat. "You have us interested." Remus smirked wickedly, his little seen but entirely mischievous Marauder side coming through.

"Trust me, Prongs, I know."

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Please review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**AN:**

**Hello everyone!**

**I know I'm the worst author ever, but I looked at what I had written for this chapter and I hated everything. So I rewrote again and again and I hated all that too. I still don't think this turned out quite the way I was wanting but I felt I kept you all waiting for too long already. So here it is.**

**Forgive me, it's short and quite choppy, but even though it's probably awful next chapter will be better.**

**So, I hope you enjoy but feedback is always appreciated.**

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If it hadn't been Remus' idea, Rose knew she'd be having some very serious doubts right about now. Remus was acting like the good little prefect he hardly ever was, getting ready to go on his weekly patrol with Lily. Thus neatly clearing him from any prior wrongdoing. James naturally, was taking this opportunity to act like he didn't care one way or another about the proximity and friendliness that their fellow Marauder was about to share with his One True Love (yes, Rose was quoting), and last Rose had seen him was sulking in Gryffindor Tower while pretending to read the Evening Prophet. Of course, the fact Peterthat it was upside-down rather gave his nonchalance away. Peter, the poor clueless soul, was stuck in detention with the Slug - his wand had been the only one still out after the rather hilarious prank that saw the Slug's impressive walrus moustache come to a life of its own and start wobbling on his lip while sending a cascade of powdered sugar covering every available surface like a mini blizzard. This all meant that Sirius was free and clear to fulfill his arguably most crucial role in their upcoming scare the living shit out of Snape prank. Concealed as she was behind a rather helpful magical wall that wasn't really a wall at all, Rose had a perfect view. Sirius slouched on the wall just a few yards away from the spare dungeon Snivellus used for his practice potioneering. Arms folded across his chest and legs crossed at the ankles, he was the very image of careless elegance - bloody gorgeous as well. Roughly ten minutes after she'd gotten into position, Snape emerged from his hole like the grease-dripping snake he was, falling instantly into Sirius' trap. Sirius, for once emulating the master manipulator that his family had tried to forge him into, played his part to Marauder perfection. His gorgeous grey eyes glittered with the kind of malevolence only Snape or members of the Black family ever earned, but the faint timbre of his voice was as even and innocent as it was around the other members of Gryffindor. Snape, blinded by his single-minded hatred of the Marauders and his jealous desire to see them expelled (or dead, it mattered to him as much as his life matter to them), bought it hook, line and sinker. Sirius strolled away first, casually commenting about having a life and a gorgeous girlfriend to get back to (he said the sweetest things), leaving Snape practically salivating behind them.

* * *

Those soulless black eyes glittered with malicious glee, as if he could see all his dreams coming to fruition. With his sallow skin and hooked nose, the expression made him look cruel and almost inhuman - rather fitting for a Slytherin, especially one as loathsome as Snivellus. Rose waited until he had gone (leaving a trail of grease in his wake like an oversized slug), then crept out of hiding and set off to find Sirius. Curfew was dangerously close to being upon them, but Rose was a Marauder for Merlin's sake, as if she gave a flying flobberworm about such a stupid and arbitrary rule as a curfew. Besides, with the rules they were about to flamboyantly steamroll over, the tiny insignificant detail of breaking curfew was essentially a nonentity. And, as the entire castle was painfully aware, the rules had never applied to the Marauders anyway.

* * *

On the night of the Full Moon, the Marauders slipped out into the grounds. The bait had been laid, the trap prepared. Sirius was waiting in the Shack with Remus, ready to keep Moony from doing something Remus would regret. Rose waited with an unusually nervous Peter near the Shrieking Shack, hidden in the tunnel (in their animagus forms) with disillusionment charms. James (the stupid, noble, brave bastard) had the most dangerous job; he waited in position under the Cloak, ready to spring into action to 'save' Snivellus' worthless skin. It was a job he had loudly and stubbornly insisted upon. He was, regrettably, correct. Out of all of the Marauders (Remus excepted), James was the fasted and the strongest - capable of getting out of the tunnel with Snape quickly enough in case their plan failed spectacularly and Moony would be hot on their heels. The only question that remained was whether or not Snivellus' desire to end the Marauders would allow him to fall for the bait as Rose was almost certain he had. If he told the Professors, they were finished, but somehow none of the Marauders (not even Remus) thought that he would. Snape wanted to be the one to catch them out red-handed. It was personal; his pride would be his downfall. Not theirs. Of that, Remus had been most insistent upon. James had shrugged and said that if Snivelly didn't fall for their plan, he'd just hunt him down and hex the living daylights out of him. Sirius had then suggested doing that anyway, as if they couldn't be too careful. He had almost had James persuaded, until Remus had slapped the backs of their heads and reminded them that this prank was his to plan - and they could answer to Moony if they did anything to mess it up. Rose took a deep breath, pushing back the faint trace of worry that lingered. She trusted Remus - if she was honest, in this she trusted him more than she would have trusted James or Sirius in their planning - but it seemed somehow almost too easy. If everything went well, Snape would undoubtedly be terrified stupid and unlikely to try and sneak up on Moony again. On the other hand, Rose failed to see how this prank, safe as it was, could possibly earn them any favours with Dumbledore. Honestly, they'd be lucky not to be expelled, let alone invited to join Dumbledore's special army of freedom fighting wombles or whatever the heck James said the were called.

A howl echoed down the tunnel from the Shrieking Shack, the moon full and dangerously bright above the Scottish scenery. Everyone was in their places, it was time for a little light revenge, Marauder style.

Barely aware through the omnipresent urge to hunt and attack, Moony was worried. Here in this place of old torment and pain, the scent of his Pack was dulled. Moony didn't like that, Pack was supposed to surround him, Pack always had. Pack was all that kept him sane during the Moon. Tangy-smell/old-hide/packmate Padfoot was the only one he could scent nearby. Small, chittering Wormtail had skittered out before Moony came to play, as had forest-scent/sad-eyes Prongs. Flower, starlight Astra hadn't even seen Moony change, not that she ever did; but neither had she joined them after he changed as she always did. Pack wasn't here, Pack should be here. Moony wanted Pack. He missed his pack, howling at the no-stars-not-sky to call them to him. Distantly, from somewhere in the fog of what was his human side, he remembered that Pack was attacking rival pack, enemy-scent tonight. But Moony wanted to be right there in the thick of it. As Moony howled his challenge, his nose twitched. Grease-anger/hot-jealousy/enemy-pack was nearby. Called not by the promise of human blood, but of vengeance upon an invader, Moony sprang forward. He tore through the house, diving down into the tunnel Pack always walked through. Moony liked walking under the stars with pack, enemy-pack would stop that. Well not if Moony had anything to say about it. Just ahead, the bitter scent of snake intensified. Black eyes and the tang of fear filled Moony's senses, blood lust raging through him. Attack, tear, kill. Drive off the intruder. Defend territory. Marauder Pack belonged here, not Snake Pack. He lunged forward again, going for the throat, going in for the kill. Moony bounced off something that was nothing that smelled like his flower-scent packmate. He growled in confusion, then howled in anger. Enemy-pack was gone. So was faint-scent of Prongs.

* * *

While Astra bodily blocked Moony from chasing down Snivellus and ripping his worthless, slimy guts out, James was risking his neck far worse. There was no way in Merlin's magical Avalon that Moony would hurt James tonight, their plans were too well thought out for that - it was just he was certain that he deserved some sort of commendation for dealing with Snivelly in this mood. He'd take the Order of Merlin, third class even - he wouldn't be greedy. With barely a flicker of thought, James sent a message patronus to Sirius, telling him that he had everything under control - and that he should deal with Moony before the werewolf managed to escape from under Astra's watchful eye.

Snivellus was kicking and screaming, terrified stupid, promising expulsion, Azkaban; anything that came into his hysterical, grease stained mind. Somewhat at a loss as to what to do with the slimy git (and quietly hoping he was having a breakdown severe enough to land him in the permanent ward at St Mungo's funny farm, although Merlin knew they weren't going to be _that_ lucky), James punched Snivellus square in the hooked nose, then aimed a powerful knockout jinx at him for good measure. Snape hit the dirt more heavily than Grimhorn trying to evade the nifflers Sirius 'introduced' into his classroom. James shuddered at the noises (wails really) that continued to escape from the grease-dripping hooked nose, then shrugged and smirked wickedly, absently wiping his hand as he did so. It was the work of ten seconds to truss Snape up and suspend him from the nearest non-sentient tree. He would be damned if he was going to let Remus go through having to attack the malicious git. Especially after all they'd gone through tonight to make sure that didn't happen. While a good biting would undoubtedly help Snivelly's personality some, it wasn't worth the health risk to Moony. Godric only knew what diseases the grease-stained git was infected with. With another shrug, and a final smirk at the ugliest post-Christmas ornament ever, James winked at the moon and transformed into Prongs. Regardless of what tomorrow brought, tonight was still the Full Moon; Moony would need them more than ever, and Prongs was bloody well going to be there.

* * *

Wormtail chittered curiously, attracting the attention of Moony, Padfoot and Astra. Astra turned and sighed with relief. She'd lost count of the number of times that she and Padfoot had been scratched, tackled, bitten, stomped on, thrown into walls, tossed on the floor, etc. Moony was truly in fine fettle tonight, taking his frustrations out (quite rightly) on them. Prongs trotted in, hazel eyes downcast. Astra felt a little spark of worry. Their human feelings were normally muted when in their animagi forms, but not so tonight. Tonight felt different - perhaps because tonight was the first time that their pack was putting itself in line for discovery by someone smart enough to see them for what they were (if Dumbledore asked, they wouldn't lie - couldn't, they promised Remus that a long time ago). But, by the looks of it, Prongs had dealt with the Snivellus Situation, and they now had the rest of the night ahead of them. Tonight could still turn out like so many of their wonderful, barmy nights exploring under a starlit sky. Still, Rose felt uneasy. Prongs was never like this; he could never afford to be like this, not with how empathetic Moony was about their pack. Padfoot literally leapt upon the opportunity to catch Prongs unawares, huffing a woof of mischievous glee as they rolled over and over on the scuffed wooden floor. Everything was uncertain right now, but Rose couldn't help but inwardly smile at the sight of them all. No matter what the aftermath of tonight's slightly toned down prank on Snape would be, there wasn't a single doubt in the world that they'd face it together. That being said, it was still the Full Moon, and it was time to have some fun.

* * *

Instinctively knowing better than to risk the trip to Hogsmeade tonight of all nights (there were some limits even they were smart enough not to push - on occasion), the Marauders escaped the confines of the Shrieking Shack for the relative peace of the opposite side of the Black Lake. Bane and Ronan emerged from the trees to give the cavorting quintet disapproving glares, but were smart enough to retreat at Moony's challenging howl. No creature in their right mind would attack a werewolf on full moon - especially not a werewolf surrounded by its pack. Barking gleefully, Padfoot tackled Prongs into Moony, the trio rolling into the shallow waters of the lake's edge. Moony yelped and barrelled back to dry land, growling at the inaudible laughter of Padfoot and Prongs. The werewolf, like Remus, hated getting wet without warning, which explained why Remus was so pissed off when he tripped over Peter and toppled headfirst into the other side of the lake before Halloween. Feeling familiarly mischievous, Rose trotted over to the chuckle brothers, casually pushing them back into the icy water. Moony shot her a grin, a trace of Remus' own personality coming through as it often tended to do. Padfoot got his revenge by shaking the icy water all over her, grinning smugly at her. If a dog could smirk, Rose was sure that would be what Padfoot would be doing right now. After that, they tripped merrily into the Forest, determined that this would be the time when they finally rediscovered the acromantula lair. They'd found Aragog once by accident (being in their animagus forms had actually saved their lives) but had never been able to replicate the feat. If they were going to get expelled (which was probably highly likely, but definitely worth it for the sheer pants-wetting terror on Snivelly's face), they wanted to at least see it one more time.

* * *

The Marauders stayed deep in the Forbidden Forest for as long as they could. Deep in their hearts lay a single uncertainty. Dumbledore. Would he listen to their explanation? Or would the mistaken threat to the safety of his students override his unshakable belief in the right of everyone to a second chance, a fair hearing? They simply didn't know. Marauders didn't like not knowing - as the smartest in their year (possibly in the entire school), it went entirely against the grain. And so they hid out in the forest, ignoring the moon setting, the sun rising. It wasn't until Remus finally crept out from the tree he'd hidden behind to change back that they knew their time was up. With heavy hearts and weary treads, they set their course back towards the castle. By now, Snape would have woken up and found his way back to the castle to spill his greasy guts right to Dumbledore. It was a testament to the severity of the situation that they didn't so much as divert to the kitchens for breakfast. By a silent consent, all five Marauders walked with their heads high to face their fate - for better or worse.

* * *

**Thank you for reading.**

**Next up: the aftermath.**

**Please review. And I hope you're all safe and well.**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:**

**I'm back, and once again apologising for the lateness in my updates.**

**I promise that no matter how long the updates will get to be, I will finish this story. So, in case you were worried, you don't have to be?**

**I've tried to be realistic with this, but getting into Dumbledore's head is impossible, so you might have to just go with it.**

**Anyway, you're not here for my notes, you want the story - so please enjoy!**

* * *

In all their years of pranking the living daylights out of the school, Rose had never seen Dumbledore this furious. He didn't yell, or rant, or berate them for their idiocy. He didn't even expell them as soon as he had seen them. No. It was worse. Much worse. _Infinitely_ worse.

He sat there.

In silence.

_Staring at them_.

Not a word of reproach or anger passed his closed lips. He sat there, examining them from behind his half-moon spectacles, radiating disappointment. Normally, the Marauders (as a whole) wouldn't have given a flying flobberworm about disappointing a professor, but this was different. Not only had they broken his trust, placed his students in danger, and opened up his school to criticism from the Ministry (if this were ever to get out), but they were also rather fond of Dumbledore. If the Marauders were the type to squirm uncomfortably, that would be exactly what they would have been doing right at that very instant.

Rose thought it said something about the gravity of the situation that none of the Marauders had yet dared attempt an explanation. Remus had tried, voice quiet and unusually subdued (even for him), but he had trailed off, sinking even deeper into himself as an expression of his shame and guilt. Peter couldn't even meet their eyes let alone Dumbledore's. He was sunk deep into a thoroughly uncomfortable chair, gnawing nervously on his fingernails and appearing to fervently hope that someone might take pity on him and have the ground swallow him up at their earliest convenience. James and Sirius were remarkably composed, ignoring Dumbledore, Rose, Remus, and Peter in favour of having one of their weird wordless conversations. Their eyes flickered with intensity, each clearly trying to put their point across with as much emphasis as it was possible to do without using words or any gestures whatsoever. As for Rose, well she was exhausted. Her body was protesting the night's activities, and was bringing back uncomfortable memories of those weeks in the Hospital Wing recovering from Bellatrix's not so tender attentions. Frankly, it was a case of something having to give, and Rose just couldn't take the tense silence another second longer.

"It was all an illusion, Professor" Rose spoke up, knowing that Dumbledore might not find James and Sirius (with their well-known hatred of Snape) credible. To their credit, both their jaws clicked shut, not even considering that the news might be better delivered by them as they had so obviously been planning. Rose kept her violet gaze on their Headmaster, trusting that he would be able to read the sincerity and the truth in her eyes. "We set it up. All five of us. Otherwise we'd never have even _thought_ of letting James in there after Snape." Dumbledore gazed thoughtfully at her, some of the raw fury abating. Time to lay it on a bit thicker. "We've known about Remus for years, we don't give a flying flobberworm. But" here she smiled sadly at the shamefaced Remus. "We know the hatred and bigotry that would follow if Remus' furry little secret ever got out." Remus, still so guilty, but still so wonderful, squeezed her hand lightly, giving her the gentle prompt to go on. "I admit that there were definitely better ways that we could have gone about it, Professor. And perhaps we could have gone about it more gently for Snape's mental well being (not that we actually ever thought to give any consideration to that, nor do we particularly care even now). But the simple fact of the matter is that sooner or later, Snape _would_ have tried to follow Remus into the Shack, he _would_ have run into a furious werewolf who recognised an enemy intruder threatening his pack, and Moony _couldn't_ have stopped himself from attacking. It's only werewolf instincts to protect what they consider to be their territory." James picked up the thread of the explanation with a thankful nod at Rose.

"Now, we all know that anyone with a working braincell knows that we despise Snivell- Snape, but we love Remus. Good Godric, he's our _brother."_ It was a simple fact, one backed up by the automatic nods from the other Marauders. James cleaned his glasses, staring straight at Dumbledore. His hazel eyes had the intensity Rose recognised from Hogsmeade; raw and decisive, but also intent on doing what he knew was right. "Think what you will about our collective maturity, despite the proof of what we went through in Hogsmeade, but we could never risk Moony or his well-being like that. It would kill him if he thought he'd hurt someone, even someone as utterly worthless as Snape." He shrugged lightly, half-gesturing expansively at them all. "We're the Marauders, we have to look out for our own. There's no one else around who'll do it."

* * *

Dumbledore was silent for a long while, the tension slowly ratcheting up. It was worse than earlier. Rose could feel her skin start to crawl. And, judging by the look of the others, they felt much the same way. Finally, the Headmaster fixed them all with an x-ray gaze.

"I have your word that Mr Snape was never in any danger?"

"Not for a second" Sirius replied, resolute. "We solemnly swear." The other Marauders echoed him, truth ringing heavy in the air.

"There's a war on, Professor" Peter spoke up, wringing his hands in the only obvious tell of his nerves. "The unthinkable is happening every day. We always thought that Snape finding it about Remus was an unthinkable situation, but it wasn't - not really." Watery blue eyes flickered over to James, as if begging him to finish - more eloquently - the thought that he was trying to express.

"We can't control who lives and who dies out there" James began, a heavy note of solemnity in his voice. "But we realised we could control this small thing." A hand waved in a half-hearted gesture. "Were there better ways we could have gone about it? Probably. But could we have risked waiting and having the worst happen? No." James shook his head to reinforce his point. "Hogsmeade was supposed to be a fun day out, celebrating my best mate's birthday. The Death Eaters attacked, Rose was tortured, and we ended up in the Hospital Wing. It couldn't be prevented, and we couldn't have been protected. Bad things are going to happen at any time - all we can do is moderate what we can and prepare for the rest." Hazel eyes met grey in another wordless conversation. "Don't get us wrong, Professor" James said softly, turning back to Dumbledore. "We are not apologising for what happened. It happened. It had to. One way or another. Undoubtedly our choice wasn't the right one, but it's one we made together - and we'd make it again. However, we are taking responsibility for it. That's the adult thing to do." Rose caught a flicker of something in the electric eyes of their Headmaster and inwardly frowned. Maybe, just maybe Dumbledore was starting to understand that they really weren't children anymore - that he couldn't protect them from everything as he might once have done. Nobody could really. If that was, on some level, what all the Marauders themselves were thinking, James's next words confirmed it. "As Pete said, there's a war on out there. We're the ones who're going to have to fight it." With that, he sat back, the Marauders content to wait for their reckoning.

* * *

Dumbledore stared unreadably at them, regarding them with a solemn and impenetrable gaze. "While I could not in good conscience believe that you never meant Mr Snape to come to any harm, I can easily believe that you would never make Mr Lupin the instrument of that harm" he said eventually, peering at them over the rim of his spectacles. "In view of that particular consideration, I think it would be best to remove fifty house points each - yes, even from you Mr Lupin - and a week's detention each to add to your already impressive collection." A wry smile quirked the corner of Dumbledore's lips, Sirius already halfway out of his seat in astonishment. "Perhaps you consider this sentence too lenient, Mr Black?" Sirius apparently couldn't help but incline his head in agreement. "Hogwarts still owes you all a very great debt - and perhaps many times over - for all you have done, and suffered, in such a short space of time." His eyes didn't need to flicker pointedly to the bold scars on Rose's underarm, they all knew what he was referring to anyway. "As you yourselves have said, none of you are truly children anymore. But" here he held up a hand to forestall James's objections "if you all feel that strongly that you deserve to make some restitution, then consider your informal defence lessons more than payment enough."

"You knew about those?!" Peter's flabbergasted expression would have been pure comedy gold, but for the severity of the situation.

"Of course he _knew about those_, Wormtail" James rolled his eyes, a hint of admiration hiding behind the round frames. "He knows nearly everything." Dumbledore raised his eyebrow minutely at the rather tepid praise, the stag animagus apparently oblivious to the fact.

* * *

Barely a handful of hours later, Rose was awoken by the familiar hair-raising chords of Marlene's Banshees LP. On any normal day ending in 'y', Rose would be rather miffed to have been awoken to such a racket. Today, though, she felt too bloody relieved to even think of doing her usual morning trick (magically tossing said record out of the window with extreme and gleeful prejudice). Dumbledore hadn't expelled them. He had barely even punished them. Of course, one could argue - as Remus had on their long trek back to Gryffindor tower - that Dumbledore hadn't bothered because he knew that it would do absolutely no good whatsoever, but Rose just couldn't find a flobberworm to give. Their luck was, for once, holding out and she had a good feeling about this weekend. They were safe from Snape, there was no lessons (not that they actually ever went to them if they didn't want to), and they could be together. Rose caught herself smiling as she pulled her hair back into a French braid. Yes, this was a good day so far. And what could possibly go wrong?

Remus was already seated at the Gryffindor table, head predictably buried in a dogeared copy of one of their advanced defense textbooks. As she watched, he took a long sip of tea (Remus never touched coffee - Moony didn't care for it), and absently popped a piece of breakfast pastry into his mouth. After the morning they'd had, it was refreshingly normal. Rose grinned to herself as she joined the werewolf at the table, cup of tea and omelette already waiting for her consumption. "Peter still trying to find the right words to tell his mother that he's not going home for Easter?" Remus asked, a wry tilt to his smile.

"Oh yeah" Rose agreed. When she'd come down, Peter had still been sat at one of the desks in the common room, desperately scribbling excuses on a scroll of parchment that was more crossed out than not. "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum still in bed?" Remus lowered his book, amusement shining in his pale green eyes. '_Come on_' his look said _'you know better than that_'.

"Padfoot and Prongs both agreed that it was best if we didn't know where they were or what they're up to."

"So, tormenting first year Slytherins again then?"

"Yep." Not for the first time, Rose was struck with the desire to slam her head off the table. As if last night hadn't been stupid enough, now those morons wanted to tempt fate?

"Are we the last sane Marauders left, Rem?"

"Oh Rosie" Remus sighed, favouring her with a particularly pitying look. "You are willingly dating Padfoot. If anything that proves your lack of sanity. And, I put up with all of you. We're all demonstrably insane." Rose cocked her head, regarding him over the rim of her mug.

"You think you're so funny, don't you?"

"Think. Know" Remus grinned brightly. "It's all semantics really." Rose rolled her eyes, holding back a smile as she threw a bread roll at Remus.

"Uh oh" James smirked, dropping down next to Remus. He threw an arm around the werewolf's shoulders, eyes dancing behind his glasses. "Lover's tiff?"

"Oh sod off, Prongs" Remus grumbled, pointedly shrugging off James' arm. "You say things like that far too easily. It's me Padfoot will kill if he thinks that's true."

"Aww, don't pout ickle Moonikins" James cooed, demonstrating the lack of sanity they were mentioning earlier.

"Don't worry, Moons" Sirius smirked, clipping James around the ear as he came to sit beside Rose. "I've been well warned - my possessive instincts are and I quote 'all well and good, Siri, I don't have a problem, but remember what I said, I don't go in for incest'." Remus took a long moment to process, looking almost as gormless as James did most of the time. Then, a wide smile broke across his features.

"Love you too, Rosie." Never one to be outdone, Sirius tucked a strand of Rose's hair behind her ear, and kissed her cheek.

"But not as much as I do."

* * *

Considering the rather late night and lack of sleep that they all had, the Marauders for once deigned to sprawl in the Gryffindor common room with their fellow students. Peter, for all the good it was doing him, was still hunched over his letter, now somewhat desperate in his quest to find the (unfortunately non-existent) words to inform his mother of his decision to spend their spring holiday in London without incurring her Gorgon-like wrath. Remus sat near him, occupying another desk while sketching something that looked remarkably like the exterior of their Diagon Alley home as it would have been in the days it was a respected chocolatiers. And Rose, for her part, was curled up on one of the armchairs, watching James and Sirius terrify some impressionable firsties with false tales of the terror that lurked within the Forbidden Forest. Marlene stalked past them and huffed, rolling her eyes at the unrepentant duo. Catching Rose's eye, Marlene directed her footsteps towards the fireplace, something not entirely welcome hiding in her midnight blue eyes. When the blonde beauty was seated opposite her, Rose recognised the emotion as a particular kind of worried suspicion masked by a thin veil of anger. Her suspicions were confirmed with the first words out of Marlene's mouth - not a friendly greeting by any stretch of the imagination. "What the Salazar did you five do to Snape?" Marlene hissed, her voice managing not to go past the two of them. "It's all over the school. He's in the Hospital Wing and you lot were seen leaving Dumbledore's office before sane people even leave bed!" Remus looked over, a frown briefly crossing his features. Rose shook her head slightly. She had this, besides Remus already felt bad enough about this without getting lectured by Marlene.

"Marauder business, Marley" Rose replied, keeping her voice level and calm. "Snape was poking his - to quote Peter - abnormally large nose in where it didn't belong. We corrected that behaviour."

"He's in the Hospital Wing!" Rose rolled her eyes, deciding to channel the lack of repentance that her cohorts terrorising the firsties were demonstrating.

"He's not in St Mungo's, I don't know what your problem is."

"Rose, you're getting out of control" Marlene warned, looking almost concerned about them. "First you all traipse into Hogsmeade whenever the whim takes you, which led to you all going head to head with the Death Eaters, then you strung up Bertram Aubrey like he's some sort of puppet, and I don't even want to talk about victimising the whole of Hogwarts!" Seeming to realise she was close to yelling, Marlene took a deep breath. "And now you put Snape in the Hospital Wing." Marlene shook her head. "We're supposed to be the good guys, Rosie."

"We are the good guys, Marls, believe me."

"Just be careful" Marlene sighed, resignation weighing heavy in her voice. "It'll do none of us any good of you lot get expelled."

"Dumbledore expell us?" Rose bit back her smirk. "What kind of miscreants do you take us for?" Marlene crossed her arms, an almost Lily Evans-like aura appearing around her. Rose instantly pitied any children Marlene brought into the world (Lily's kids were already doomed - poor things would inevitably be Potters, and that came with a whole laundry list of reasons to need therapy).

"Well, if you're not in any kind of trouble-"

"I didn't say that, Marls" Rose interjected, utterly unable to help herself. "I _specifically_ didn't say that." Marlene, naturally, ignored her.

"If you're not in any trouble, then why is McGonagall standing in front of the Portrait Hole, and looking at you like she'd rather be anywhere else?"

"What?" Rose blinked at Marlene in confusion. McGonagall turning up in the Common Room was akin to Bad News on an apocalyptic scale. But no, Marlene was right. McGonagall, resplendent in her typical emerald robes and the Thin Lips of Doom™, was standing in front of the portrait hole and was staring unhappily at Rose.

* * *

Almost independently from herself, Rose realised she had drifted over to stand before their beloved Transfiguration professor. "Miss Evans" McGonagall greeted stiffly, too stiffly by far. Either she was in trouble (which Rose doubted, considering the lack of the rest of the Marauders singled out with her), or something Very Bad had happened. The next words out of McGonagall's mouth confirmed it. "Come with me, quietly." A quick glance confirmed that James and Sirius were still blissfully unaware of anything wrong (Sirius smoking out of the window and James loitering by the girls dorms as if hoping Lily would somehow materialise and agree to go out with him - his chances were, frankly, appallingly low, not least of which because Lily was in the library), but Remus' green eyes were fixed on her, every piece of him ready to spring into action if that was what Rose required. He was a good friend, far better than she honestly deserved. She shook her head slightly, rolling her eyes towards McGonagall in the hopes that that would be enough to reassure him. Rose could still feel Remus' intent gaze on her back as McGonagall led her towards her office.

Lily was curled in an armchair before McGonagall's desk, nose buried in a book (Rose's copy of The Phantom of the Opera, if she wasn't mistaken - and she wasn't), the crumbs of a ginger newt on her jean leg. She looked up at Rose's entrance, emerald eyes widening with surprise. "Rosie?"

"Hi Lil" Rose replied, speaking quickly so McGonagall wouldn't talk over them. "What's going on?"

"I have no idea" Lily murmured, talking almost as quickly as Rose. "I was in the library with Alice and McGonagall summoned me here. I thought maybe it was prefect business, or you lot had been up to something."

"Oh, we mostly certainly have" Rose agreed, unable to stop the smirk from creeping across her face. Oh Snape's face last night had been a picture. "But not, I think, to merit this."

"No" McGonagall agreed, her apologetic gaze flickering between the two of them. "I am afraid that-" Before she could get so much as another syllable out, the door burst open (exploded was more the term), and James and Sirius rushed in, swiftly followed by Remus and Peter. They looked determined enough to storm Azkaban, not just McGonagall's office. The brave, reckless idiots. Oh how she loved them.

"Cease this unlawful detention of our cohort!" James yelled, hand reaching up to ruffle his hair as he noticed Lily in the room as well. _Prat,_ Lily's eyes seemed to say - although not as disgustedly as usual. In fact, she could almost be called fond.

"We demand our rights!" Sirius continued, not giving any of them a chance to get a word in edgewise.

"A fair trial!" James agreed, about ready to duel someone to get his way. Then again, he probably just wanted to impress Lily - as if he hadn't already tried and failed with that tactic before.

"We shall not be torn asunder!" Remus apparently felt compelled to add, Sirius flashing him the barest hint of a smile before he returned to staring intently at McGonagall. Rose decided that looking at him was far better than waiting for whatever McGonagall had summoned her there to say, even if the expression on Sirius' face was rapidly approaching the sort of stone cold fury that only Regulus or the rest of the increasingly batshit insane Black family usually warranted. McGonagall waited a moment, looking between the Marauders as if expecting them to say something else (they didn't), then she heaved a tired sigh.

"Indeed, it seems impossible to separate the five of you" McGonagall pursed her lips, but any fool could see that she was proud nonetheless. "Even when she is summoned separately from the rest of you."

"About that" Sirius said, his voice deathly calm. "Don't ever do that again." Six heads snapped towards him with perfect synchronicity, dull pain burning in Rose's neck from the suddenness of her movement.

"Sirius!"

"Not now, Rosebud" Sirius replied, keeping his steely glare on their favourite professor. He, in his own inimitable way, had read the situation in the few moments it had taken for McGonagall to speak. And, whatever it was, he disagreed with it. Wholeheartedly. Remus frowned at him for just a moment, accurately read the situation himself, then sat forward in his seat.

"Professor, start at the beginning, and if we feel we should leave, we will" Remus requested, fixing a stern glare on Sirius. "But" he stressed, the word the only thing stopping Sirius from laughing in his face (or punching it, it was hard to tell with Sirius in this mood) "if this is something we need to be here for, nothing in the world could stop us." Rose squeezed his hand, projecting all the gratitude she possibly could at him. Sirius, for his part, calmed enough to claim the arm of Rose's chair, projecting an air of stubborn intractability.

"Miss Evans?" McGonagall's tone made it very clear she was talking to Lily and not Rose - as if Rose would ever stop the lunatics she was friends with. Lily didn't even waver.

"Let them stay" she replied, favouring Remus with a smile. "They're Rosie's family." Peter nodded at McGonagall as if saying take that, and then promptly wilted back into his seat, hiding behind James as much as was humanly possible. It seemed that for once McGonagall was content to leave Peter's unusual insolence be, her eyes flickering between Lily and Rose before alighting somehow on both of them.

"Your father wrote to us last night, your grandfather passed away yesterday."

* * *

**And so it continues...**

**Please review.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:**

**Hello again dear readers!**

**The content for this chapter was supposed to be quite heavy and sad, but with everything going on right now I couldn't bring myself to write that. So I've tried to be a bit more upbeat.**

**Once again, I humbly hope you enjoy.**

* * *

After McGonagall had dropped her bombshell, Rose just sort of froze. She remembered Remus (wonderful, sweet Remus) escorting Lily out of McGonagall's office, and then blurting something out herself before fleeing the suddenly oppressive atmosphere. It wasn't exactly as if they hadn't been expecting something like this for a while, they unfortunately had, but it all seemed so terribly unfair. They were all finally happy for Merlin's sake! She was getting along with Lily again, Remus and Peter were settling into their skins, James was still pining hopelessly after Lily, and her relationship with Sirius was reaching better and better heights with every passing day. It didn't help that she felt terrible for feeling that way, but she couldn't help it. She felt selfish and horrible and terribly confused, and sort of numbly, distantly sad.

* * *

Hiding away in her dormitory was not a good way of coping with the situation, but Rose frankly couldn't summon up enough energy to care. Sirius and James had both been sweet and considerate, and Remus had been practical to a fault, but she didn't want to deal with the realities yet. So, here she was, sitting on Lily's bed, clutching a pillow to her chest and trying not to be too touched that Marlene had immediately put on some Elton John on a low volume instead of keeping the Banshees blaring at ear-splitting volumes. Lily, after emerging suspiciously red-eyed only five minutes ago from the bathroom, was keeping herself busy, sorting through her things to pack for the funeral while Snowflake purred for attention. Rose hadn't yet broken the news to her (as she had already done with the Marauders) that she wasn't intending to go home at all. If she was honest, this was entirely because she didn't want to relive the same argument that she had already had with Remus, James and even Sirius. Which also conveniently explained why Rose was hiding away up here in the first place. It was frankly about as suspicious as the Marauders acting innocent after a particularly ingenious prank.

"You didn't think you could actually hide from _us,_ did you?" James asked, leaning casually against the wall.

"Really, Rosie" Remus tutted in mock disappointment. "I thought you knew us better than that."

"How in Merlin's name did you three get up here?!" Alice shrieked, Mary diving behind her curtains. Sirius turned to favour her with an all too familiar smirk.

"Skills."

"Exceptions are made, when exceptions need to be" Remus added, purposely vague and enigmatic.

"They're not going to tell you, the lunatics" Rose huffed, glaring at the three of them. "You can save whatever you came up here to say, I'm not going."

"Of course you're not" Sirius agreed blithely, completely ignoring her. The nerve of that utterly gorgeous bastard. "McKinnon, McGonagall wants to see you in her office." Marlene nodded once, managed a smile for Lily, and then swiftly exited the dormitory. Nobody in their right mind - other than a Marauder - would keep McGonagall waiting. Rose let out a breath, hoping that this would be the end of it. Naturally, her luck wasn't that good.

"Hold on" Lily spoke up, looking from Rose to Sirius and back again. "Not going where?"

"Don't tell us you lot are trying to get her to go to Hogsmeade now of all times?!" Alice glared, hands coming to rest on her hips. Hestia backed her up with a scowl even fiercer than Lily's usual 'no, Potter' glare.

"Remus John Lupin, I expected better of you" Emmeline glowered, expression as severe as any McGonagall could summon.

"As if they would" Lily huffed, turning to Rose. Her emerald eyes were nearly snapping, Rose hadn't seen Lily this angry since the aftermath of the Defence OWL. "They mean that she's not coming to Grandpa's funeral."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong" Rose snapped, deciding it was easier to deal with her sister than the trio of stubborn Marauders standing in her dormitory. "But I _think_ that the decision is mine to make."

Lily laughed bitterly, a touch of sarcasm in her voice too. "Not in this lifetime." Rose frowned at her twin, trying to find words to sum up the offense and grudging pride she had in Lily standing up to her (Lily had given up on doing that some time in third year when she understood that she would never out stubborn Rose).

"Lil-"

"You're not abandoning me to deal with Tuney, Walrus, and the rest of our family alone!"

"Take James!" In true form, James spluttered - torn between agreeing because he would literally die for Lily, and going along with Lily to get in her good books.

"Oh please" Lily scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Of course Potter, Black, and Remus are coming. As if Dumbledore would let you out of the castle without them." Rose struggled for words, Lily cheerfully bulldozing over her. "You're coming. Or you can write to Dad and tell him you're not." Rose dropped onto the floor, pulling her knees up to her chin.

"I hate this" she whispered, not certain anyone could hear.

"I know" Lily agreed, dropping beside her with a whisper of long red hair.

"Grandpa wasn't supposed to die yet" Rose managed, voice thick.

"I know" Lily said again, melodious voice as choked as Rose's.

"It is a bit rubbish, isn't it?" James offered, coming to sit on Rose's right. Lily glanced at him and managed a water chuckle.

"God you sound like Grandpa" Lily half-laughed. "Lord only knows why he liked you."

"Haven't the foggiest myself" James assured her, the pair not even noticing when Rose scooched away from them.

"If you lot are going to Cokeworth, have you packed yet?"

"What do you take us for?" Sirius asked, playfully offended. "Of course we haven't."

"What are you waiting for then?" Rose huffed, hands on her hips. "A royal invitation? Get on with it!" Sirius winked at her, grinned, and dipped into a low formal bow.

"As my lady commands."

* * *

After lunch, Rose and Lily made their way quietly to Dumbledore's office. They had intended to leave quietly, and not burden any of their friends with having to skip school and attend a funeral for a man they had barely known (although had all liked very much). Lily didn't like feeling that she was imposing on anyone, and Rose felt that she had already inconvenienced the Marauders too much in the last few months. Regardless, they had both felt very proud at evading the nosy gits that were Rose's fellow Marauders, and entered Dumbledore's office after the wise headmaster had told them to enter. Lily, typically, looked around eagerly, while Rose honed in on the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Naturally, James and Sirius reclined in them like they were their own personal thrones, while Remiss and Marlene chatted quietly about whatever exactly it was that they had in common - probably Benjy Fenwick or their obsessive love of the Tutshill Tornadoes. Rose marched right over and glared furiously. "You _gits!"_

"Rose!" Lily gasped, shocked. "Not in front of the Headmaster!" Dumbledore chuckled, feigning absorption in a book. James and Sirius had the nerve to not even look guilty. Neither for that matter did Remus, Marlene, or even Peter. In fact, Peter was looking at her like she was being particularly slow.

"We're the Marauders, Astra" he told her calmly. "We stick together. Especially at really rubbish times like this."

"Hear, hear!" Marlene agreed, examining her nails as if daring someone to question why she was coming with them.

"Professor" Lily began, with the air of someone grasping at straws. "Surely they can't all afford to miss school?"

"Miss McKinnon is as advanced in her classes as you are, Miss Evans" Dumbledore replied evenly, his eyes barely sparkling in empathy with them. "And the Marauders have always been a package deal. Where one goes, so must the others follow." His electric gaze flickered to them, a smile quirking his lips. "As for missing school, I'm not entirely sure what our professors can teach them that they cannot teach themselves with the right incentivisation."

James glanced at Sirius and inclined his head, mirth dancing in his eyes. "Accurate."

"Don't go giving away all our secrets, Dumbles" Sirius drawled, shaking his head to get his hair to settle back into place. Dumbledore smiled enigmatically.

"You have my word that I shan't, if you'll only grab this chamberpot." It was already glowing blue as he spoke. Never before had Rose ever seen people so eager to touch such yellowed porcelain before. She made a mental note to disinfect her hands thoroughly as she snagged a forefinger around the rim. Then, with the familiar navel-jerk sensation, the five Marauders, Lily and Marlene disappeared from Hogwarts.

* * *

Utterly inappropriately, Rose found herself giggling as they stared up at the ceiling of the Evans living room. A quick glance of her peripherals confirmed that she wasn't alone in celebrating the ridiculousness of that mode of transportation. "How wonderful" Petunia's snide voice announced, rising to a yell. "Mum! Dad! The Freaks are here!"

"Petunia Marigold Evans, apologise to your sisters!" Jim yelled back, his voice echoing in from the kitchen. Petunia scoffed loudly, then 'accidentally' stepped on both Rose and Lily as she exited the living room.

"Sorry about that" Jim sighed, frowning at his eldest daughter's back. "It's been a bit difficult here since- well, you understand."

"Yeah" Lily agreed, managing a tremulous smile for their father. "Mum upstairs?" Jim nodded, and Lily fairly shot from the room, Marlene following somewhat awkwardly. While it was Jim that the Marauders were closest too, ironically it was Violet that took to Lily's friends the most. Violet especially adored Alice and Marlene who had visited as often as the Marauders had. Rose found the strength from somewhere to stand up and cross the room to her father, the Marauders in pursuit.

"I've missed you, Daddy" Rose murmured, stepping into her father's warm embrace.

"Anything we can do to help, Jim, just let us know" James announced, useless in such situations unless he could do something to help. Jim squeezed Rose tightly once more then turned a tired smile on the others.

"Well" he began, contemplative. "We've got Violet's sister, brother-in-law, and their kids coming tomorrow for the funeral on Monday, so if you could do your thing and somehow make Rose's room big enough to accommodate all you Hogwarts types, then you'd save me having to get Vernon to agree to kip in a tent outside."

"All of us, in Rosie's room?" Remus blinked in shock. His eyes flickered between Rose and Sirius, something telling in his pale green gaze. "The propriety?"

"Please" Jim chuckled, eyes dancing with humour. "Lily cannot stand half you boys, Marlene last I heard fancied your mate Benjy, and I'm certain that Sirius adores Rose far too much to do anything in a room full of you lot." Jim grinned at their stunned faces. "Now, if you can't do anything about the room, just say so-"

"Piece of cake" James dismissed waving his hand. "Ten seconds at worst."

"The hard thing will be not destroying Rose's room when we're all in there together" Peter muttered, flashing a smile at the idea.

"I have confidence in you" Jim smirked, revealing exactly where Rose had gotten her Marauderishness from. "Rose, go see your mother. Sirius, come help me in the garage. I want to hear all about... Hogwarts."

"Yes sir!" Sirius smirked, snapping an awful salute and marching outside in Jim's wake.

"Remind me again what you see in him?" James smirked, leading the procession upstairs. Rose made a show of thinking it over.

"Honestly, Jamie, it's either because he's really gorgeous, incredibly smart, fantastically loyal, or unbelievably good at-"

"Okay, don't need to know that!" James interrupted, turning bright red and walking into the door jamb. He cursed as he shook his foot out, hopping like a berk. Rose rolled her eyes, slapping his arm with no little force.

"Oi! Mind out of the gutter, Potter!" Rose tutted, shaking her head even as she felt heat prickle across her cheeks. "I was going to say kissing!"

"So nothing happened that night you two snuck out to the Black Lake?" James teased, forgetting that he wasn't comfortable with this line of questioning.

"James Harold Fleamont Prongs Potter!" Rose flamed as red as her hair. Redder even. Then her voice changed, low and seductive. "Are you asking?" James choked on his own spit.

"No!" Remus yelped, answering for him. "He's not, Rosie. He's really, really not."

"Pity" Rose replied in the same tone as before. She winked and sauntered away towards her mother's room, leaving James spluttering behind her. Merlin, she had needed that - especially to face this.

* * *

Several hours later, Rose slumped against the cool wood of the kitchen table. Her eyes were rimmed red, her head pounded, and her hands shook as she clutched possessively at her mug of tea. The past few hours with her mother had been a trip through memory lane, alternating laughing and stopping herself from crying at memories and stories of Grandpa Arthur, and now she felt wrung out like a greasy old dishcloth. Sirius came into the kitchen, wiping his hands on the aforementioned greasy rag, and dropped a thoughtless kiss to the top of her head. "I love you" he said easily, hunting through the cupboard for a biscuit to go with his cuppa.

"I look like something dragged out of the Black Lake" Rose protested, flushing at Sirius' suggestive look. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that" she groaned, gulping down a mouthful of fortifying Tetley. "And hush, they're already suspicious."

"They've a right to be" Sirius shrugged, supremely unconcerned. "But regardless, you'll never look anything but beautiful to me, Rosebud."

"I look awful" she objected, running a hand through her knotted hair. "I feel awful."

Sirius placed his hand on her forehead, as if feeling for a fever, and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's really shit right now, sweetheart, but you'll get through it."

"I don't want to have to get through it, Siri" Rose cried, frustrated at the continued prickling behind her eyes. "I don't want it to have to be like this at all!"

"Oh love" Sirius hushed, pulling her into his arms. "I know. I know." Rose had stopped herself from crying all day, not wanting to force her mum or sister to have to be the strong one for her. After all, she'd survived the cruciatus curse. But here, now, safe in Sirius' arms, she knew that she wouldn't be judged for not being as strong as she had pretended. All it took was one ragged breath in, and she was sobbing into his collar. Sirius wrapped one arm protectively around her waist, his free hand carding soothingly through her hair. He didn't say anything more, but nothing else needed to be said. Sirius was there for her, as he always intended to be - she needed no more than that.

Tomorrow her horrid relations would be coming, and Petunia would undoubtedly be sourer than ever, but that didn't matter right then. The only thing that mattered was being held safely in Sirius' arms, knowing that Lily was upstairs marshalling the others to sort their rooms out properly, and that they could take whatever tomorrow threw at them together. What she wasn't aware of, was that Jim was standing in the kitchen doorway, eyes filled with a mixture of nostalgic love and pride, a sad smile on his face as he nodded approvingly at Sirius. Sirius nodded back, something solemn passing between them as Rose cried, oblivious to the pain waiting for them all down the line.

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Stay safe and well.**

**Reviews are always appreciated.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:**

**Don't get used to it, but I'm back with another update relatively soon after the previous one. Yay me!**

* * *

It was the morning after their arrival in Cokeworth, and for once the Marauders were up with the sun. Well, when Rose said up, she meant that at least they were awake. Awake and still lazing around in her bedroom. Sirius and James were reclining in the hammocks they'd insisted on (because apparently beds were too boring for them), mocking the efforts of the Daily Prophet reporters together. Remus remained snuggled under his duvet, snacking on some Honeydukes Best while absently nodding along to whatever comments James and Sirius tossed his way - Remus was amazingly agreeable during the five minutes every morning when he got his first chocolate fix of the day (it was how they all got him to agree to their more ridiculous prank ideas). Unsurprisingly, Peter had claimed Rose's desk, busy writing a letter to his mother explaining their change in circumstances. Marlene and Lily still slumbered in their respective beds, and Rose was finishing off French plaiting her hair while tuning the wireless to the WWN.

"Anything useful in there, James?" Remus asked, swallowing down the last mouthful of his morning bar.

"Nah, same rubbish as usual" James reported, tossing the paper over towards Marlene's bed. Sirius still had hold of his copy, making a headstart on the daily crossword puzzle. "Did you get five down yet, Pads?"

"Niffler" Sirius drawled, mischief lighting up his voice. "Wonder if old Grimhorn's found our parting gift yet."

"You can count on it" James smirked, the two reaching across to high-five one another. Unfortunately, James didn't count on Sirius using the proximity to push him out of his hammock. James popped up like a vengeful, bespectacled jack-in-the-box, glaring murderously at his best mate. "Prick."

"Git" Sirius replied cheerfully, nodding towards the emerging head of James's one true ladylove.

"Ugh, why do you have so many pictures of David Bowie in here, Rosie?" Lily groaned, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Because I can" Rose replied, not going to take any crap from a girl whose chosen pinups had been Roger Moore, Mick Jagger, and Des O-bloody-Connor. When Lily got taste, then she could talk.

"It's far too early for Marauder reasoning" Marlene groaned, half-sitting up in bed. "Or, if it's not too early, then I'm definitely not drunk enough."

"Words to live by" James conceded, grinning at Lily like the lovestruck loon he was.

"What time are the in-laws coming?" Lily wondered, turning to Rose for her answer.

"Far too soon for anyone's liking" Rose replied, hiding a shudder. Their aunt - Fiona - was almost Petunia incarnate; horsey, shrewish, and nosy enough to Olympic medal in being a busybody. Her husband - Alfred - was normal and decent, and their children (twins Eleanor and Thomas, both seventeen) could pass as human (unlike Petunia). The real bummer of the day was, naturally, soon to be related to them. "I think the Walrus will get here first though."

"Walrus?" Peter squeaked, taking them literally. "Why is a walrus-"

"Not a walrus, Pete" Rose explained patiently. _"The_ Walrus. Tuney's awful, incredibly _boring_ fiance." She did not miss James and Sirius looking to one another with identical mischief-making smirks.

"Really?" Sirius drawled, sounding as if all his Christmases had come at once. "How _delightful."_

"Oh no" Lily spoke up, glaring at the unrepentant duo. "You will be on your best behaviours. You will not start anything. You will be the models of decorum and politeness. Rosie and I will have to spend Chris dinners with that oaf in the future. You will not make it harder for us."

"Hear that, Padfoot?" Peter smirked, leaning back against the desk. "You're going to have to spend Christmas dinners with him. So be nice."

Sirius barely even spared him a glance. "Piss off, Wormy."

"Right you are, Padfoot."

* * *

Violet offered a sad smile as the Hogwarts students trooped into the kitchen. It was about half past nine, and they'd just finished a rather boring stroll around the local park. "You got the milk?" Violet checked, sounding surprised.

"Of course we got the milk, Mrs E" Marlene replied swiftly. "Lily and I went, while those five raided the sweet shop."

"It's not my fault that Rem promised Dumbledore Sherbet Lemons" Rose protested, watching the slight smile form on her mother's face.

"Vernon's on his way from the station now" Petunia announced, standing in the entrance to the kitchen like the very angry horse-faced shrew she was. "Mummy, please tell them to keep their freakishness to themselves."

"We will if he will, Tuney" Rose sang, smiling angelically at her eldest sister.

"Be nice to your sisters, girls" Violet chided, drifting away to answer the phone.

Petunia watched her leave, then turned to Rose and Lily with a venomous hiss. "If you Freaks drive him away-"

"Godric, Tuney. He's marrying **_you._** The bloke must be either epically desperate, criminally cretinous, or so incredibly without standards that nothing we can do will change his pea-sized mind" Rose snapped, tired of Petunia's vitriol. "Given that I've met him, it's probably all three." Petunia's face twisted into a scowl that did nothing for her horsey looks. Her eyes darted down to Rose's bare arms, something ugly dancing in their depths.

"Say something" James all but purred, danger a clear undercurrent in his voice. "I dare you."

"She's not worth it" Petunia replied icily. "Just don't ruin everything with your unnatural freakishness." James stepped forward, Petunia storming from the room as if they were all beneath her. Rose traced the ridges of the scars on her arm, smiling tremulously.

"Well, clearly this dress was a bad idea" she said, trying for a levity she didn't feel. "I'll be back in a sec."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Rose had changed into her normal attire (flannel shirt, purple cords, and platform boots for a bit of Marauder confidence), and was back sitting around the kitchen table with the magically inclined occupants of the house. Petunia was in the front room, nose pushed against the glass so she could be the first to know when the most boring domesticated walrus in England (possibly the entire world) arrived. Jim had even reluctantly left the Haven of his garage to come and join them in their final few moments of freedom. Rose's father had taken one look at her boots, grinned at Lily, then handed a crisp fiver over to Sirius. Rose decided that she really didn't need to know what that was for, and pinched a biscuit (ginger newt - Lily had sent them home) from the plate on the table.

"You guys can do your magic if you have to in Rosie's room" Jim announced, breaking the comfortable silence. "But, if anything War related happens, I don't care what you do. If you have to, do whatever you have to. Understand?"

"Crystal clearly, Jim" Sirius replied, inclining his head. James backed him up with a solemn nod.

"It's highly unlikely that anything will happen, Jim" Remus assured him, only momentarily stumbling over Jim's name. "But, if we're needed, we'll try and keep it away from the rest of your family."

"They're not my relatives, they're Violet's" Jim said, smiling tightly. "But I appreciate it all the same." Whatever reply Remus would have made to that was drowned out by a shrill voice screaming at them from the living room.

"Vernon's here!"

"Let joy be unconfined" Sirius muttered sarcastically, Jim coughing to hide his snort.

"How bad can this bloke really be?" James wondered, turning to Rose in query. Rose tapped her fingers in the table, trying to find the words to describe how bad Vernon was.

"You know Snivellus?"

"Yes" James frowned, a spark of mischief dancing behind the frames of his glasses.

"I definitely would rather spend an hour with him than Vermin."

"Oh goody" James smirked, glee dripping from his voice. He literally rubbed his hands together. "This is going to be so fun." Lily dropped her head into her hands and groaned.

"I hate you, Potter."

"The feeling is definitely not mutual, Evans" James replied brightly, gallantly offering his hand to help her to her feet.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You are such a berk, Prongs."

"Your praise warms my heart, Pads" James smiled, in a suspiciously good mood given the circumstances. Marlene flicked her gaze from the Marauders to Lily, already resigned to chaos ensuing.

"This is going to be a disaster, Merlin's beard."

* * *

Rose emerged into the hallway fortuitously (note the sarcasm) in time to see Petunia finish snogging the metaphorical mustache off her fiance. Jim cleared his throat, walking forward to shake Vernon's hand. If Rose was pushed to describe her future brother in-law (and the mere notion of that still made bile rise up in her throat), she would say that Vernon was not very tall, and definitely not very muscled. He had the figure of a man who enjoyed a good meal (and the good meals of everyone in his immediate vicinity), and would probably let himself go a little in later life. But what immediately sprang to mind about Vernon was the frankly spectacular lip ferret he adorned his upper lip with, and the incredible sense of boredom that permeated the air around him. He also wore a sweater vest. It was orange. Rose would say no more than that. Jim, in the true spirit of sharing misery, turned Vernon's attention to them.

"You remember, my other daughters. Lily and Rose, and Lily's friend Marlene."

"Yes" Vernon replied, his expression unnaturally close to Narcissa Black's perpetual dung-under-nose look. "My condolences."

"Thank you, Vernon" Lily replied, as ever the more diplomatic one. She trodded pointedly on Rose's foot, glaring out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, thank you" Rose echoed, insincerity plain in her voice. Vernon nodded at that, ignoring the twins in favour of asserting his authority over the Marauders.

"I'm Vernon Dursley, I'm an under executive at Grunnings. We make drills."

"How delightful" James smiled, shaking Vernon's proffered hand. "I'm James Potter, my parents are filthy rich." 1 - 0 Marauders.

"Remus Lupin, Rose's friend" Remus added, smiling pleasantly even though his brief glare at James had clearly announced how much of a moron he thought he was.

"Peter Pettigrew" Peter spoke up, accepting Vernon's handshake without wincing. "I like rats. Don't you think they're unexpectedly adaptable?" Sirius shook his head obviously enough for even Vernon to notice.

"Sorry about Pete, he gets nervous in stressful social situations" Sirius drawled, pretending not to notice Vernon proffering his hand. "I'm Rose's boyfriend, Sirius Black." His demeanour screamed his aristocratic pureblood upbringing. "I'm independently rich. It's such a shame we have to meet under such unhappy circumstances. Rose says Petunia speaks very highly of you." He inclined his head at Petunia. "You are a very lucky man." He winked again and turned on his heel, striding up the stairs with the others following gobsmacked in his wake.

"Since when can you be charming?" Marlene demanded, glaring at Sirius in utter disbelief.

"Since birth, I'm naturally gifted."

"And independently rich" Remus glowered, rubbing his forehead in a futile attempt to alleviate his headache. "Did you really have to tell him that?"

"Yes!" James and Sirius agreed emphatically.

"He thought he was better than us" James clarified, crossing his arms. "Nobody is better than us. We're the Marauders for Godric's sake!"

"I just don't get you five" Marlene announced, flopping onto her bed with the latest issue of Witch Weekly.

The Marauders shared a look, grinning as one. "Thank you!"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Petunia and Vernon were out (because apparently they couldn't spend five minutes together without finding something imperative to do for their Merlin-foresaken wedding), and the rest of the household was again gathered in the kitchen waiting for the final set of arrivals. "So" Jim offered, breaking the tentative silence. "Ready for some more fun?"

"Eternally" James nodded, rising to his feet as the doorbell rang. "Let's go meet the rest of the family, shall we?" Rose grinned, leaping to her feet - which was honestly quite an accomplishment in her boots. She bounced to the front door, adopted a more suitably sad demeanour (which wasn't hard), and opened the front door.

"Hello, Auntie Fiona, Uncle David. Mum's upstairs, and Dad is in the kitchen." Fiona huffed at her and nodded, relieving them all by going upstairs to Violet. David (once handsome and blonde) offered a slight smile and vanished in the direction of the kitchen. That left Rose with their two children and the copious amounts of luggage Aunt Fiona insisted on travelling with. Fortunately, her cousins were on the normal end of the spectrum. Eleanor (blonde and unfairly beautiful as Marlene) hugged her tightly in greeting.

"Hiya, Rosie" she smiled, picking up on the tension in the house. "I'm glad you and Lily could make it down from Scotland."

"The Headmaster insisted" Rose replied easily. "How was the train from London?"

"Long and boring, just like the conversation with Mum on the way" Thomas sighed, shouldering his way into the house. Like his sister, Thomas was blonde and blue eyed, and objectively quite handsome. "So, what's the news with you and Lily? We haven't heard so much as a peep since the Shrew announced her engagement."

"Same old, same old" Rose grinned, winking at her cousins. "Though, there's some people you might like to meet." She held up her hand and grinned. "Oi! You lot! Come make yourselves useful for a change!"

"You wound us, my lady" James called, loping around the corner with his familiar stride.

"On purpose noble sir" Rose replied instantly, smiling at the sight of the others joining them. "These are my cousins, Eleanor and Thomas Williams. Thomas, Eleanor, my friends James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black, and Lily's friend Marlene McKinnon."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the Marauders in the flesh" Eleanor grinned, leaving the luggage for her brother to deal with. Sirius and James gallantly helped him with it. "But now that you're all here, you can finally tell us all about this mysterious school you all go to."

"We could" Sirius agreed, sharing a rather worrying smirk with James and Thomas. "Or we could prank the living daylights out of Petunia."

Thomas shared a quick glance with Eleanor, both twins inclining their heads in agreement. It was Thomas - the natural speaker - that replied to that notion.

"Anything to get our minds off actually attending another funeral tomorrow." Rose glanced away guiltily. In all the excitement of the day, she had completely forgotten that tomorrow they were burying their final grandparent.

"At least tomorrow the worst will be over" Eleanor sympathised, understanding in her eyes. "Mum will be back to being distant and unpleasant, Dad will go back to hiding in the shed every minute under the sun, I can go back to school and try to convince Mum that I can and will get a career, and Thomas can go back to his-"

_"Studies!"_ Thomas all but yelled, cutting over his sister. Rose just leaned back on her bed, content to watch her Marauders (and Marlene) bond with the only decent family they had outside of Jim and Violet. It was just a pity that they would only be there for one more night.

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**Once again, thank you all for reading.**

**Next chapter, although unwritten, will probably gloss straight over the funeral and deal with something more cheerful. Apparently plot and I just aren't on the same page at the moment.**

**Nonetheless, reviews are always welcome.**


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:**

**Hello everyone!**

**I just realised I've now written over 100k words for this story! And there's still so much more to come!**

**As ever, I hope you all continue to enjoy a story I never thought anyone would read. So the fact that there's over 100k words here is down to you too! You are all amazing, and thank you so much!**

**Now, on with the story!**

* * *

Rose turned away from the graveside, almost angrily dashing away the few tears that had escaped during the graveside service. Nearby, Jim was escorting Violet away, Rose's mother sobbing into the embroidered scrap of lace that Petunia had handed her. Rose's aunt and uncle followed Jim's example, filing out of the cemetary and into the overcast spring day. Marlene had her arm wrapped around Lily's shoulders, taking the place James had assumed during the service. Now free of wet shoulder duties, he made his way over to where Rose was standing with Sirius, Remus and Peter. Remus handed Rose his handkerchief (Sirius already having lost his to the cause that had been Peter - who always cried at funerals), and they stood in silence, barely registering the concert the neighbouring birds were providing for them. Lily wandered a few yards away, pulling herself together the way that only Lily Evans ever could. Lily looked beautiful in her black dress, while Rose had spent most of the service feeling like a member of the Addams Family, only with less good looks. It really didn't help that James and Sirius both looked like something out of GQ, and even Remus was looking particularly dapper that day. Rose hugged her arms to her chest, trying very hard not to think of her grandfather lying nearby in his eternal slumber. She hated this. Hated everything about it. Grandpa was gone; she had completely forgotten how to relate to her cousins (she loved them, don't get her wrong, but there was so much she wanted to tell them but couldn't because of the stupid International Statute); her father had even been acting a little odd lately, taking phonecalls in his den and not really spending any time with them. She blew out a trembling breath, mentally shaking herself away from the unpleasant thoughts. Sirius and James nonchalantly leaned against tree trunks, James carelessly chatting about plans to nudge Grimhorn into assisted resignation, while Sirius blew smoke pointedly in the direction of the Walrus and Petunia.

It had been a beautiful funeral. Rose couldn't exactly say for sure what had happened, but it had been a beautiful funeral nonetheless. If the beauty has lasted beyond the cemetery gates, Rose would have been happy (well, as happy as she could have been on the day of her grandfather's funeral), but alas it was not to be. Petunia had clearly taken a large dose of heinous bitch juice that morning, and had been nothing short of horrible since they had left the service. Rose conceded that perhaps it may have had a little to do with the alarming shade of green that Petunia's hair was under the wig she'd bought on the way to the funeral, but that didn't give her the right to hiss such vitriol as she had been since they'd separated from the older generation. As if their grandfather had actually died from the shame of having three freaks in the family, Rose scoffed. Their grandfather had loved having three freaks in the family, as Thomas had rightly pointed out in his usual unflappable way. Petunia was, unfortunately, including Thomas in her category of freak for some reason that completely boiled down to the fact that she just couldn't stand him - probably the fact that he was a decent human being and had told Vernon to shut up on no less than seven occasions during the funeral.

"If your sister utters so much as one more peep, I'm going to forget all about the International Statute of Secrecy" Sirius announced, his tone unsettlingly conversational.

"Just ignore her, Siri" Rose advised, pitching her voice to carry. "Everyone else does."

"So, where's the wake?" James wondered, turning the discussion away from the heinous shrew. Probably for the best, all things considered. The mood Rose was in, if Petunia stepped on one more nerve, she would pull out her wand and not be held responsible for her actions.

"No wake" Lily sighed, shaking her head. "Grandpa wanted as little fuss as was humanly possible. Even agreeing to a funeral was a long and drawn out battle with him."

"Seriously?" Peter frowned at that. "It feels weird not having to sit around in a room full of black crepe and feel even more miserable than usual."

"Well, if you want black crepe and misery, we could always pop round to Snivelly's house" James suggested, stepping over Sirius' attempts to trip him up. Remus coughed to hide his sudden snort of laughter.

"Oh behave, you two" Lily chided tiredly, crossing her arms over her black dress. Rose was relieved to see that things were back to normal between James and her, considering the way she had stayed rather close to James throughout the entire funeral. "Elle, Thomas, come on. Marlene wants to catch that showing you were talking about." She waited until Marlene had dragged them up the street a little before turning to the Marauders. "Dad has some floo powder and Dumbledore keeps the fireplace hooked up for emergencies. Go to Diagon Alley, blow off some steam. Whatever you have to. Come back tonight, tomorrow, and try not to prank Tuney anymore. She's going to go crazy in the next few weeks."

"Are you - a prefect - giving us permission to misbehave, Evans?" James checked, flabbergasted.

Lily stared at him evenly. "I'm telling you to do what Grandpa would definitely have wanted. Go have fun."

The Marauders stood around, gawping after Lily, until James shook himself out of his stupor.

"You heard her, let's misbehave!"

Sirius blinked a him a moment, then a slow smirk spread across his face. He grabbed Rose's hand, grinned at her, then started an impulsive dance while singing. "_There's something wild about you child that's so contagious. Let's be outrageous. Let's misbehave_!" For the life of her, Rose could only remember one verse of that particular Cole Porter song and giggled.

"_You know my heart is true and you say you for me care. Somebody's sure to tell but what the heck do we care?_"

"_They say that bears have love affairs, and even camels, we're merely mammals. Let's misbehave_!" James sang, something almost Lennon-like about his voice.

"If anyone saw us now, they'd think we'd escaped St Mungo's."

"You mean a loony bin, Pete" Rose tutted, shaking her head in mock disappointment. "People round here wouldn't have the first clue what St Mungo's was. Or they'd think it's a church."

"Come on" James beckoned. "To the Evans'. Before the crowd of muggles gets back."

"You mean Tuney, Vernon and my awful aunt, right Prongs?" Rose checked, going to have to be offended if he meant her cousins or parents.

"Of course" James replied honestly. "C'mon, Tom hasn't seen us in ages. It'll do him good to start expecting us at all hours. Because soon he'll have to."

"Oh yes" Remus agreed sarcastically. "Because Merlin forbid anyone notices us and asks why were not at school during term time."

"Don't be boring, Moony" James grinned, all boyish enthusiasm. "We know it's your birthday in two days, but that doesn't mean you're an old man just yet."

Remus cocked an eyebrow, his entire being radiating 'oh really' vibes. "Based on what?"

James opened his mouth but Sirius held up his hand as if to say he had this one. "Based on the appallingly low number of times the Earth has orbited the sun since you were born." He smirked wickedly. "Now don't be such an insufferable bore and come on."

* * *

Tom didn't so much as bat an eyelash as the Marauders unceremoniously arrived in his pub, dusting off the soot from the fireplace. He did however pause as they strolled up to the bar. "Four Butterbeers and a cherry soda please, Tom" Rose requested, dropping the coins onto the bar top.

"How was the funeral?" Tom wondered, voice soft with sympathy. Rose frowned, momentarily worried about how he had known, but then smiled sadly. Of course Dumbledore would have told him to expect them at some point, and their attire was rather a giveaway as to where they'd been.

"It went as well as could be expected" Rose replied, allowing a more mischievous smile to come through. "This lot even behaved themselves for a change, thank Merlin."

"That Slytherin had nothing to do with it, it was all the work of Gryffindor" James teased, winking with his usual (in public) overdramatic flair.

"Tell Dumbles we'll be staying at the flat tonight - the Evans' is too crowded and Petunia far too bitchy at the moment" Sirius smirked, tossing a wave over his shoulder as he led them out of the dimly lit pub. Rose shrugged apologetically - there was simply no stopping Sirius when he got into these moods - and followed him outside into the spring sunlight.

* * *

After a quick stop in their flat to change into something less utterly depressing (no matter how good James had thought Lily thought he looked in his suit - Rose had no intention of getting started on that particular delusion), the Marauders found themselves loose on Diagon Alley with absolutely no clue what they were supposed to be doing. Granted, this was not exactly anything new to the Marauders, but given the circumstances they felt they ought to be doing something purposefully. Gambol and Japes had been a wonderful distraction for two and a half hours (they'd finally got some new stock in, and it would have been downright irresponsible of them not to try it, however sarcastically Remus had agreed with them), but Quality Quidditch Supplies was a bust (and not just because James nearly decked somebody for daring to question the need for comparing the different brands of broom), and Florian's was worryingly closed. It was honestly getting a little boring. And they all knew that when James and Sirius started getting bored, bad things started to happen. So, with absolutely no idea of what to do, they decided (though it was more of a spontaneous thing than anything so close to the term decision) to wander aimlessly around Diagon Alley.

"Oh look" Sirius drawled, glee sparkling in his voice. "The great unwashed."

James followed his eyes and grinned wickedly. It was spooky how alike those two looked when they did that.

"Now, whatever is he doing going down there? Naughty, naughty." He even waggled his finger like a reproving schoolteacher.

"Who?" Remus asked despite himself, craning his head in the direction James and Sirius had been looking.

"Yet another member of the shower optional society that clearly spawned Snivellus" Rose shrugged, not seeing what the boys were in the latest in the long line of the soap-averse. Sirius shook his head, smiling fondly at her.

"Not that I don't agree, sweetheart" he began, leaning casually against the side of the nearest building. "But surely you remember him?"

"Siri" Rose replied patiently. "Half of Slytherin house look like they're allergic to sanity, soap, bathwater, and combs - or some combination of the above. Forgive me if I don't instantly recognise every one of them."

"Travers" James helpfully explained, Rose shooting him a blank look. "Three years above us at Hogwarts. Slytherin, obviously. Looked like sewer slime crossed with a really ugly stoat?"

"How could we forget Stoaty?" Remus asked, frowning at his lapse. "As I recall, fifth year, we sent him off with a literal bang."

"Poor bloke" James snickered. "Never noticed the Fillibusters we put in his pants."

Sirius joined James in looking nostalgically into the distance and smirked. "Good times."

"Because it just isn't Hogwarts if you're not coming back with detentions already to serve." Remus rolled his eyes and sighed. As if the Fillibusters weren't his idea. The placement perhaps wasn't down to him, but the seed of the idea had definitely been all his fault.

"A former snake is going down Knockturn" Peter shrugged, sharing a confused glance with Rose. "I'm not exactly surprised, Prongs. These things happen every day. It's like Evans shooting you down when you ask her to go out with you - a common occurrence."

"You have a point, Wormy" James conceded, but he didn't let it stop him. "Nevertheless, we have to ask ourselves-"

"Of course we do" Remus muttered under his breath.

"-what Shifty McStoat-face was doing going down Knockturn Alley at this particular point in time, and why-"

"Oh yes" Remus groaned, clearly only Rose paying the slightest bit of attention to him. She sometimes wondered why he bothered at all.

"-he looked so shifty in the first place" James finished, as if Remus had not interrupted him twice with his sarcastic commentary.

"The deer has a point" Sirius agreed, as if he had actually needed to be persuaded into this lunacy. "Slytherins slither down there dripping grease and deadly bacteria every day. Why was dear old Stoaty looking so shifty, if he's not up to something?"

"Tell me we're not going to go down there too?" Remus groaned, glancing at the nearest wall as if debating how quickly he'd lose consciousness if he bashed his head against it. Undoubtedly not soon enough for whatever the ringleader Marauders would have planned.

"Oh yeah, great idea Rem" Rose replied sarcastically. "That's what this shambles of a day needs: a mudblood going down Knockturn. As if I don't have a large enough target painted on my back."

"Of course we wouldn't send you down there, Astra" James looked horrified. "Good Godric, what do you take us for? Pads and I are going."

"We just have to think about this logically" Remus interrupted, quick to prevent the oncoming argument.

"Good point" James agreed instantly. "I've got the cloak, Pete can do what he does, and the three of you can-"

"Disillusionment Charms, coming right up" Sirius smirked, wand already out. James just shook his head and lead them into one of the secluded areas of the shopping district.

* * *

The Marauders crept into Knockturn Alley on feet made silent through years of pranking practice, following a trail that James seemed to arbitrarily make up. Rose didn't quite have the heart to point out to James that his shoes were peeking out from under the cloak, mostly because she was sure he was doing it on purpose - so they could know where he was. They tracked Old Sotaty Travers down a good way into the disreputable district, finally catching up with him as he hailed a group of wizards Rose vaguely recognised as being former Slytherins. She couldn't remember a single one of their names, only that they had - naturally - pranked the living daylights out of them on more than one occasion. Except for one, that is. A cruel scumbag of a wizard with equally sharp and cruel features. Marty Flint, bully, quidditch cheat, and blood puritan bigot extraordinaire. He had been captain of the Slytherin quidditch team when they joined the Gryffindor team, and had been an absolute pleasure to beat every single time.

"Flint, Travers, Higgs" James's voice breathed around them. "What in the name of Merlin's quidditch pants is going on here?"

"Puritans Anonymous" Remus smirked, voice barely audible. "It's so hard being intolerant, they need the support of other small-minded peabrains."

Sirius cursed fervently in front of them. "They're going into the Dagger. Of course they are."

"The Dagger?" Remus asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"The Cursed Dagger" Sirius spat the name like poison. "The only pub that caters exclusively to former Slytherins. Blood purity is a requirement before entering the establishment. No blood traitors, half-bloods or muggle-borns allowed."

"So" James began, a familar furious undercurrent in his voice. "They're definitely up to something, and we need to get back to the flat ASAP." Peter chittered anxiously, head darting around the suddenly oppressive Alley, and they took it as their cue to leg it out of there.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the private room of the Cursed Dagger (Knockturn Alley's premier establishment for the pure of blood - established 1479), the six former Slytherins (once a Slytherin always a Slytherin) inclined their heads at the man standing by the fireplace. His white blonde hair reflected the dancing firelight, as did the silver snake-head on his cane. "Gentlemen" he announced, voice cold and hard as steel, yet silky with satisfaction. "The plans advance. Your time as come." Grey eyes flicked malevolently over the assembled. "The question is - do you still wish to be of service?"

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**I won't promise to update soon, but I'll hopefully manage another chapter by September some time. Please stay safe and well.**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:**

**Hi all! I hope you're all well and that my rather long absence hasn't scared too many of you away.**

**I just realised that this story is a little over a year old, which is amazing as I really didn't think any of you would read it let alone keep reading it. So thank you very much.**

**It's just a lot chapter today because I wanted to finally post something again.**

**I hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

The first days after the funeral passed quickly. Petunia immediately stepped up the preparations for her wedding (now rapidly approaching something akin to Royal wedding preparations even though most people in Cokeworth didn't even give a flobberworm, or wouldn't if they knew what a flobberworm was), growing crazier by the hour. As a consequence (and with the wholehearted and somewhat envious blessing of Jim Evans), the Marauders all but moved into their flat for the remainder of their absence from school. James and Sirius left often before dawn, and were out often until long after midnight - conducting so far unfruitful surveillance of Knockturn Alley and The Cursed Dagger. Peter helped out where he could, running necessities like lunch and dinner out to their hideout, before coming back with reports of the same no news they'd had since the day of the funeral. Yes, Slytherins entered the establishment, yes most of them did look shiftier than vampires at a blood drive, but they hadn't been able to overhear anything of use. At least (and Rose wasn't alone in her suspicions of this, Remus felt the same way), James and Sirius had overheard nothing that they were ready to bring to the attention of the rest of the group.

Their days weren't all serious though. They had managed to celebrate Remus' birthday - a celebration which (as Sirius put it) had involved entirely too much chocolate and too little firewhiskey. Remus had managed a good haul of chocolate, books, and jumpers (answering the age-old question of what you got your resident bookworm werewolf for his of-age birthday, or really any celebration involving necessary gift-giving). The Marauders had all chipped in to buy Remus his watch, complete with the same inscription as all their watches would bear - Mischief Managed. Remus insisted that he must have got some wrapping paper in his eyes, they had looked suspiciously misty after he'd opened his present. That was then, though, presently, James and Sirius were back on watch and probably back to keeping secrets from them. The equally shifty bastards probably thought they were doing them a favor by not telling them if they had found anything, but for now Rose, Remus and Peter were content to let James and Sirius think they believed them.

* * *

Rose was seated at the kitchen table, absently flicking through that morning's edition of the Daily Prophet. As it had been for the last week, there wasn't so much as a peep about the war, or of anything suspicious or murdery going on in the wizarding world. It was odd. Like the Death Eaters were biding their time. Unfortunately, for all their psychopathy, Slytherins could be patient bastards - but only if they felt that the wait was worth it. So if they were waiting, Rose didn't like the thought of what would be bad enough to justify it. She wrinkled her nose at the photo of Orion and Walburga Black at some wizarding function or other, both scowling into the lens as if just knowing that there was a muggle-born like Rose unfortunate enough to turn the page onto their picture. Remus came in, yawning wide enough his hand barely covered his mouth. He squeezed Rose's shoulder in absent affection, reaching up to check the state of their cereal cupboard. "Padfoot ate the last of the Frosties again" Remus groaned, shifting the boxes in vain hope of finding his beloved sugary cereal.

"Yeah, but James bought a couple of boxes of Coco Quaffles" Rose replied, smiling at the reluctant hour-chiming of their perpetually misbehaving clock. They never could tell exactly what time it was, but it was nice to know that it had just turned the hour. Sirius was now banned from buying any household objects. Ever.

"He only buys those for the quidditch cards" Peter chimed, popping up from over the couch. Remus looked like he couldn't care less. He was in chocolate breakfast heaven, even going as far as to pour actual chocolate milk (made by the long-suffering Hogsmeade chocolatiers) over the unfortunate quaffle-shaped cereal.

"So" Rose offered, wrapping her hands around her mug. "What's on the agenda for today chaps?"

Remus glanced up from his breakfast and swallowed the mouthful he'd taken. "We could - and hear me out here - actually make a head start on the homework that Alice, Caradoc and Hestia sent us over the weekend." Peter groaned into a pillow, clearly not trusting his aim to throw it at Remus. Rose imagined that it happened, on behalf of the missing Marauders who would have felt it was their duty to do so.

"Oh, Rem" Rose chided fondly. "You really can be such a terrible bore. Should we do homework? Probably. Do our professors actually _expect_ us to do it? No, of course they don't." She grinned slightly. "We are still the Marauders even when two of us are faffing off into parts unknown every day."

"This is what it's going to be like once we've graduated" Peter stated, shuffling back into the kitchen to pour himself another cup of coffee. "Spying on suspected Death Eaters, not necessarily knowing what's going on, having to wait around, maybe not always being together all the time." He shrugged, back turned to them. "Maybe it's a good thing we're getting a little taste of it now. To prepare us." Rose stood up and kissed his cheek, giving him a fleeting hug.

"None of us are ever going to be alone, Pete. We're family, even with diminished numbers."

"I know that, Astra" Peter smiled, rummaging through the cupboards for a packet of chocolate hobnobs liberated from Rose's parents. "I may be the dumb one, but I'm not stupid."

"We know that, Mr E on every OWL" Rose grinned, pinching one of his biscuits.

"Oi, don't ruin my reputation by saying that at Hogwarts" Peter laughed, jumping up onto the counter. "I'm a D-average student, and don't forget it."

Rose and Remus raised their fingers in vague approximations of the scout sign. "Marauders honour."

* * *

"There's nothing on at the pictures, Diagon Alley's getting dull, we're not suicidal enough to go down Knockturn," Rose flopped pathetically onto the couch. "We're going to have to do homework, aren't we?"

"Yes" Remus grinned sunnily. "But on the bright side, we won't be getting in trouble after the Easter break."

"Poor, naive fool" Peter muttered, rolling his eyes at Rose. She blew the hair out of her face and smirked back at him.

Remus frowed at them over the top of his book. "What?"

"Moony" Peter began, a very Marauderish air around him. "Has there ever been a holiday we haven't gotten in trouble at the end of?"

"Where's your sense of optimism, Peter?" Remus groaned, sparing a glance for the owl that flew past their window. "Think positively."

"When it comes to Padfoot and Prongs, I prefer to think realistically" Peter replied cheerfully. "Now I suppose we should get a head start on that Arithmancy homework."

Remus looked up from his book, a troubled frown on his face. They hadn't even started working yet, and already Rose just knew that they weren't going to do any work today. "Doesn't it feel like we're betraying the name of Marauder?" Remus asked, smirking at the utter incredulity his words garnered. "Well it does" he protested, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We should be, I don't know, out making mischief or causing havoc or destroying something."

"You mean, being up to no good?" Peter checked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "You do know you're supposed to be the rule abiding one, right?"

"So I've been informed" Remus replied dryly, shaking his head. "It's just, well- It's no fun being sensible and mature without being able to mock those two for being the polar opposite."

"Aww" James drew out, leaning casually against the door. "Does ickle Moonikins miss us?"

"No. And where the bloody hell have you been?!" Remus demanded, ignoring the redness in his cheeks from being caught out.

"Surveiling" Sirius shrugged, elbowing past James and making a beeline for the teapot.

"Oh really?" Rose crossed her arms and cocked her hip. "And what, pray tell, did you and Felix Leiter over there find out?"

"Ha ha" James drawled, eyes rolling like disco balls. "We were just about to tell you, since we didn't come back here expecting the Spanish Inquisition-"

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Peter yelled, jumping out from the door leading to the bedrooms.

_"Merlin's underpants!"_ James clapped a hand to his heart, scowling at the rat animagus. "That startled me, you little shit."

Peter chuckled and sprawled on to the nearest chair in a move very reminiscent of Sirius. "Aww. Poor ickle Jamesie."

"You've been teaching him bad habits" Sirius smirked, pointing his ginger newt approvingly.

"Marauder" Rose sang, nodding to Remus who went and leaned against the front door. "Now, tell us what you've been up to." Her twinkling violet gaze darted towards Peter. "On pain of the comfy chair."

"Not the comfy chair" James deadpanned, feigning a suitably horrified expression. "Now, if you'll all sit comfortably, we have some things to say." One look at the troubled expression both Marauders wore sobered the others instantly.

Peter leaned forward, elbows on his knees, serious expression light years away from the fool he presented himself as at Hogwarts. "You got in."

Rose jolted towards Peter, unable to believe the fact that he seemed to have more clue as to what was going on than he'd admitted. Peter twisted his mouth in apology, shrugging a shoulder as if to say that it wasn't his fault.

"We got in" James admitted, perching on the end of the coffee table. It gave him, as he preferred, all the attention with none of the hazard of being punched - looking at Remus' dark expression, Rose doubted that the distance would save him.

"You got in where?" Remus asked, tone deceptively light and conversational. If Rose was pressed to describe it, syrupy would do quite well.

Sirius took a deep breath, as if preparing to rip off a band-aid. "The Cursed Dagger." He held his finger up immediately. "And before you ask: no, we weren't seen. We waited for Stoaty to go in and we snuck in after him, under the Cloak."

"Oh, it was a doddle, then" Rose snarked, turning her attention to James in the vain hope he might actually be less insane. "What in Godric's name were you gits thinking?!"

"We were thinking that it was about time we found out what was going on in there, Rose" James replied, serious as McGonagall. "Did you know we're famous?"

"Er, we are the greatest pranksters at Hogwarts, Prongs" Peter replied, puzzled at the non sequitur.

"Yeah, it's not for our pranking ability" Sirius sighed, eyes flinty. "Apparently not every sixteen year old witch and wizard tends to fight off Death Eaters when they attack Hogsmeade."

"I don't understand" Rose said slowly, sharing a frown with Remus.

"I think I understand, but I truly hope that I don't" Remus replied, digging his nails into the fabric of his jeans.

Sirius grinned miserably at James, utterly failing at levity. "He understands."

Rose scowled at the both of them, channeling her inner Lily. "Share with the class."

"In layman's terms?" James visibly searched for the right words. "Dumbledore has us, Voldemort wants his minions too."

* * *

**Thank you for reading (still)!**

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